GMA launches credit facility for rural women

President Arroyo handed-out a total of P20 million in checks to 2,000 women beneficiaries during the launching of the administration’s latest pro-poor program, the Ginintuang Masaganang Ani-Countrywide Assistance for Rural Employment and Services or GMA-CARES para sa Kababaihan.

The President said the program is specifically designed to generate more employment and reduce poverty incidence through the provision of affordable credit assistance to the women sector engaged in various agri-fishery related businesses.

"I remain focused on creating jobs and keeping prices of basic goods stable," she said in her speech.

"Things would be easier to comprehend if people would know and understand that they have a caring President who always thinks of their needs," the president added.

The GMA-CARES para sa Kababaihan is a government special project for the empowerment of the women sector. It is being implemented by the government’s credit and guarantee company, Quedancor together with the AHON Movement.

According to Quedancor president and CEO Nelson C. Buenaflor, the program aims to provide credit assistance coupled with training and entrepreneurial skills development to a total of 50,000 women in the National Capital Region.

The initial 2,000 women beneficiaries are residents of 32 barangays in the NCR. They were given working capital for the start-up or expansion of their chosen agri-fishery projects, such as: retailing, wholesaling, distribution, packaging or raw or processes agri-fishery products like grains, fruits and vegetables, meat, fish, feeds and feed ingredients and other agricultural inputs.

The GMA-CARES para sa Kababaihan was launched at the Brgy. Holy Spirit Multipurpose Complex in Quezon City. Among the occasion’s guest officials were: Secretary Luis P. Lorenzo Jr., Quezon City Mayor Feliciano R. Belmonte Jr., MMDA Chairman Benjamin Abalos, Rep. Ismael G. Mathay III, and Monica M. Montemayor of the Department of Agriculture.