Group to sell products in the entire province

CEBU, Philippines — Ten years after the Kababayen-an sa Opon Nagkahiusa alang sa Kalamboan (KONKA) was established, the group wants to expand its food business outside of Lapu-Lapu City and venture to the entire Cebu Province in order to augment the income of its members.

KONKA President and Ibo Barangay Captain Mary Jane Cahilog said they currently have 14,000 women members who are into selling “kakanin” and viands as well as non-food items that include soaps, rugs, facemasks, among others.

“Panahon sa pandemic, ang atong mga members naghimo sila og 15,000 ka facemasks kay naa man tay order sa Pilmico. Ang uban padayon gihapon sa pagluto og mga kakanin ug lain-lain klase nga putahi,” said Cahilog in a press conference.

Established in 2010, KONKA is one of the pioneering programs of then mayor and now Lapu-Lapu City Lone District Representative Paz Radaza to provide livelihood to women who have no access to a regular source of income.

For the past 10 years, Radaza has shown full support to KONKA and, yesterday, she organized a barrio fiesta-type of event wherein the members were grouped into four clusters and each one showcasing their best dishes and kakanins.

“Ang atong tumong ani nga ma-promote gyud ni ang ilang mga pagkaon kay kung daghan sila og orders, mas modako man ang ilang income. So, I urged the public labi na gyud sa mga taga Lapu-Lapu nga atoa silang suportahan. Let’s support local,” said Radaza.

Radaza added that members of these group were able to augment their family’s income especially during the strict implementation of the community quarantine.

Currently, KONKA only caters to Lapu-Lapu City residents for its free delivery service for minimum orders of P500.

“Among gusto gyud nga, in the future, we can deliver na sa entire Cebu Province,” said Cahilog.

Media personnel who had a free taste and who were asked to judge picked Cluster III as winner in the Best Booth Award, Best Kakanin (Espasol) and Best Dish (Humba Curry and Spicy Tuna Empanada).

Cluster III is composed of members coming from Barangays Poblacion, Gun-ob, Babag, Calawisan, Canjulao and Looc.

For the Best Booth award, Cluster I came in as first runner-up, Cluster II as second runner-up and Cluster IV was third runner-up.

KONKA is the biggest private women’s organization in the city’s 30 barangays. It has more than P4 million in asset wherein a member can make a loan with minimal interest.

The organization is actively engaged in various forms of income-generating projects such as catering management, hygiene and sanitation, skirting skills and attractive food presentations.

KONKA is also successful in their advocacy efforts in advancing the welfare of the women in the city by providing livelihood trainings such as cake and pastry making, food processing, production of dishwashing liquid and powdered detergent soap, food selling and in the barangay waste and management and beautification activities. /GAN (FREEMAN)