Vice President Sara Duterte on Wednesday, March 8, handed over P150,000 to the local government unit of San Pedro, Laguna as it becomes the first city outside Davao City to launch the Office of the Vice President’s (OVP) entrepreneurial program “Mag Negosyo ‘Ta Day.”

The program, which aims to provide financial assistance to women, LGBTQI+, and other disadvantaged sectors, was launched during the celebration of International Women’s Day. 

The official said the program aims to support the national policy of the Marcos administration to “ensure a level playing field for all market players.”

“The role of our local government units in facilitating a business-friendly environment and encouraging the growth of micro, small, and medium enterprises is critical to accelerate our post-pandemic recovery,” she said. 

“Layunin ng (The goal of) Mag Negosyo Ta ‘Day na matugunan ang kakulangan ng hanapbuhay at dagdagan ang kita ng ating mga kababayan sa mga komunidad na mataas ang insidente ng kahirapan (to address the lack in livelihood and add to the income of our fellowmen in the communities where the poverty incidence is high),” Duterte added. 

The “Mag Negosyo ‘Ta Day” is a landmark project of the Davao City government where Duterte served as mayor. 

According to the OVP, the program was successful in empowering its beneficiaries by augmenting their daily income through livelihood opportunities. 

The OVP adopted the program when Duterte was elected into office, and San Pedro became the first city in the country, apart from Davao City, that was given the entrepreneurial program.

In her speech, Duterte expressed gratitude that San Pedro, Laguna became the OVP’s first partner in giving hope to women and LGBTQI+ members to have their own businesses and additional income. 

The program will focus on individuals, such as marginalized women, single parents, persons with disabilities, survivors of violence, women from indigenous tribes, displaced OFWs, LGBTQIA+ community, and the unemployed.

It is also aimed at boosting the government’s response to addressing gender inequality in the labor and business sectors.  

Duterte cited the preliminary result of the Family Income and Expenditure Survey (FEIS), which showed the 18.1 percent poverty incidence in the country wherein an estimated 19.99 million Filipinos are poor.

She stressed that the program can help rebuild the country’s economy by strengthening the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) sector, which can help employ over 63 percent of the Filipino workforce. 

“Naniniwala ako na ang pagnenegosyo o (I believe that getting into business or) entrepreneurship ay nagbubunga ng mas mahusay na epekto dahil ito ay nagbibigay ng mas maraming kita, lumilikha ng mas maraming trabaho, at tumutulong sa pagbuo ng malusog at masiglang ekonomiya sa ating mga komunidad (result in better effects because this gives more income, creates more jobs, and help build a healthy and robust economy in our community),” Duterte said.

San Pedro Mayor Art Mercado and his wife, Mika received the P150,000 for the city project’s implementation.

Former president and Pampanga 2nd District Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo also attended the launching of the program.

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