P30M in loans, grant from PEF

MANILA, Philippines - A goat breeding center in Calatrava, Negros Occidental. Integrated production and trading of copra, banana chips and rubber in Magpet, North Cotabato. Microenterprise training and financing in Calabarzon. Tourist home stay options and wild honey production in Palawan.

These are among the 11 community-driven ventures that received a combined P30 million in development loans and grant assistance recently from the Peace and Equity Foundation (PEF).

Six of the projects aim to benefit more than 6,000 households of agrarian reform beneficiaries, indigenous peoples and persons with disabilities. Another four projects will promote climate change-resilient agricultural practices such as rice-duck farming and typhoon-resistant palay seed production, while two will distribute electricity in unserved areas using community-operated solar and micro hydro power facilities.

These social enterprises are businesses dedicated to improving living standards and bringing more households out of poverty.

Aside from loans, PEF also awarded development or planning grants ranging from P100,000 to P350,000 for the enhancement of nine project proposals.

Totaling almost P3 million, these grants help ensure the projects’ marketability, poverty reduction potential and social benefits. The grants will also enable the social enterprises to link and coordinate producers, processors, traders and distributors in a collaborative “value chain” for better production efficiency and competitiveness.