DTI's 'Project Bayong' gets funding from DA

CEBU, Philippines - The Department of Trade and Industry Central Visayas (DTI-7) received funds worth P750, 000 from the Department of Agriculture (DA-7) for its “Project Bayong,” a livelihood program to be implemented exclusively in the region.

The fund was sourced out from the DA’s Comprehensive Livelihood and Emergency Employment program (CLEEP) that aims to protect the most vulnerable sectors such as the poor, and other marginalized groups from the threats and consequences of reduced and lost income as a consequence of global financial crisis.

Project Bayong highlights the hand-woven native bag made of pandan, rattan or buri. It was first launched in Bohol in February and formally launched in Cebu early this month.

The project takes advantage of abundant raw materials and existing skills in rural communities to produce products that are in demand in the local and international markets.

DTI said that there are several advantages to Project Bayong, which include its capability to generate employment, maximize use of indigenous raw materials and provides an alternative for the environmentally conscious.

Project Bayong also supports micro-entrepreneurship as the production of “bayong” entails low investment, requires light technology, preserves the country’s cultural heritage and augments income of rural folks, DTI said.

The project is also one of the government’s ways to address environmental degradation in the country aggravated by a high annual population growth rate and improper disposal of solid and toxic wastes.

DA-7 director Ricardo Oblena said they are giving the money to DTI and turning over the project’s implementation because DTI has the expertise to roll out the various trainings needed in “bayong” weaving and production, skills upgrading and product development.

Since its launching on February, DTI has trained about 700 beneficiaries in 11 municipalities in the region. DTI has provided around 11 basic skills trainings, five trainings in dyeing techniques and six trainings in skills upgrading.

Trainings were conducted in the municipalities of Barili, Bogo, San Remegio, Sta Fe, and Bantayan Island in Cebu, Manjuyod and La Libertad in Negros Oriental, Talibon, Bienvenido, Ubay in Bohol, San Juan and Siquijor in Siquijor.

In Cebu, DTI chose the municipality of Barili as their launch site because the town is noted for its bayong craftsmanship in where residents make use of the local pandan material abundant in the area.

DTI is confident that the project will be successful especially these times that their product which is “bayong” has already become an alternative bag for the environmentally conscious. roject Bayong has revived the use of this traditional utility bag as well as turned it into more fashionable bags with export quality.

The DTI’s bayong advocacy suggests that every family above poverty threshold that would buy one bayong per year at an average price of P100 will generate sales of about P1.3Billion.

About 40 percent or P520-Million of which will go to the estimated 16,000 potential bayong workers nationwide making a potential income of P32,000 per year or P2,708 per month per worker, according to DTI estimates. — Jessica Ann R. Pareja/WAB (THE FREEMAN)