CEBU, Philippines — The Department of Labor (DOLE), through Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan, distributed 100 sewing machines worth more than P500,000 to displaced workers in the city.
Public Employment Service Office (PESO) head Kim Francisco, in a statement released by the City’s Public Information Office, said that Mactan Apparels Incorporated, a garment factory exporter, donated these sewing machines for their former workers.
It can be recalled that Mactan Apparels has closed operations and thousands of their garment sewers lost their jobs.
The company gave them separation pays while the government provided them with cash assistance, with a few provided with livelihood.
Francisco said that this is part of Lapu-Lapu City’s livelihood program for displaced workers.
Oponganon workers who lost their jobs also received Mayor Junard Chan’s assistance through the Social Welfare’s Assistance for Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) and livelihood through DOLE.
Lapu-Lapu City Cooperative and Livelihood Resource Center (LCLRC) also trained and provided livelihoods to city residents and housewives.
Francisco said sewing machine beneficiaries may open a tailoring or garment shop to start a livelihood business.
Mactan Apparels officially turned over these sewing machines to the City and Mayor Chan, in turn, distributed them to the beneficiaries.
There were four types of sewing machines, mostly single-needle machines, and a few special machines like bartack machines to sew buttonholes; thread overlock machines to lock cloths to close garments; and cover stitch machines to form zigzag sewing.
The labor department identified beneficiaries through records profiling and through their submitted project proposals.
“Motuo ta sa panultihon nga give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. Maong pinaagi sa pakig-alayon sa DOLE VII, atong gi-apod2 ang 100 ka mga brand new high-speed sewing machines sa mga beneficiaries nga ilang magamit para sa ilang panginabuhian isip mananahi,” Chan said, in a Facebook post. (CEBU NEWS)