By: Angelo Espino

An initial 120 pedicab drivers and ambulant vendors in Intramuros, Manila, have been awarded over PHP1 million in livelihood assistance to improve their lives and their families, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) reported Thursday.

Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma and other DOLE and Department of Tourism (DOT) officials awarded the beneficiaries assistance in livelihood enhancement and DOLE's Negosyo sa Kariton (NegoKart). 

This project assists ambulant vendors in making their existing livelihood undertakings grow into profitable and sustainable businesses.

He noted that an initial batch of 42 pedicab drivers and three ambulant vendors benefitted from the assistance, each receiving a maximum of PHP30,000.

The livelihood support was made through the DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program (DILP) with a total budget of Php1,080,700.00. It is also part of the agency's partnership with the DOT for the "Trabaho, Turismo, Asenso" Job Fair program of the government.

The DOLE chief said the beneficiaries would also be trained in an end-to-end cycle of service quality to prevent or correct service errors. 

"They will be provided with standardized uniforms, brochures, and other tourism paraphernalia as part of the package of assistance," he added in a statement.
 
Under the existing memorandum of understanding between DOLE and DOT, assistance is given to community-based tourism organizations through quality service and livelihood interventions.
 
"DOLE implements productivity and livelihood programs which could raise the level of tourism and entrepreneurial services of DOT-trained community tour guides represented by pedicab drivers, karitelas, other vendors, and tourism-oriented small-scale enterprises such as souvenirs shops," Laguesma explained.
 
He said the project is pilot-tested in Intramuros, where the DOLE Central Office is situated.
 
On the other hand, the project's proponents also want to provide such a program to more communities.

"This is just a pilot implementation. DOLE and DOT will implement the program in other parts of Metro Manila and other tourist destinations in the country," the DOLE secretary added.