by RB Manlangit

Daet, Camarines Norte (11 February) -- A P2.8 million fund support was approved by the U.S. Department of Labor thru the World Vision Development Foundation for the establishment and operation of coco coir production plant in Barangay Iberica in Labo town this province.

The proponent of the project is the Camarines Norte Alay Lakad Foundation. Inc. with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) as collaborating agency.

The project components are: the establishment of the coco coir production plant, training capacity building, project operation and monitoring and evaluation.

The primary project beneficiaries are the organized parents' associations in areas covered by the ABK initiative and the coconut farmers Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Organized Women Associations in the province.

The objective of the project is to help reduce the incidence of child labor in the province by introducing socio-economic alternatives to the target beneficiaries thru the production of coco coir, coco-peat, coco twine, geotextile nets and other finish product of coconut by-products as a sustainable source of income for the families of child laborers, as well as coconut farmers, women sector, out-of-school youth and the agrarian reform beneficiaries.

Earlier, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Camarines Norte Alay Lakad Foundation president Ferdinand Chua and ABK-World Vision executive director Nora Abarrientos.