Feature: DSWD’s ‘cash for work’ promotes grassroots commerce

Sunday 16th of October 2011

The last weekend of September 2011 was an unusual scene to remember at the Mabinay town market.

Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) region 7 Pantawid Pamilya regional coordinator Aileen Lariba could not forget the images she had recorded on still cam those two days.

Droves of farmers and fisher-folks, mostly fathers were seen bargaining on the prices of a kilo of fresh and salted fish; some bundles of Kangkong; vegetables; sacks of rice and most of all a little or two delicacies for their waiting children either at home or at the roadside with their mothers or some family members.

September 24 and 25 were the days that the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD-7) in Central Visayas paid out some P13M cash to 4,462 small scale farmers and fishermen of Mabinay town in Negros Oriental for their 11-days work under the “cash for work, cash for training” program.

Lariba said, instead of mothers and or women marketing she saw men haggling for prices and sacks of rice disappeared from counters to their shoulders or to a waiting Pedicab.

“Most of those men received nearly P3,000 each under the DSWD’s Rice Subsidy Program and most of them are also Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries,” Lariba added.

Lariba noted on those days that “contrary to what we hear that when men have cash and goes out in groups, they end up drunk or broke due to betting on cockpits but those fathers in Mabinay put this belief to mere hearsay.”

Reneboy Kadusale, 35, from Barangay Pandanon has three children and he said; “Na-anad raba akong mga anak nga lami mi ug sud-an sama sa preskong isda or baboy kung na-a miy madawat sa gobyerno sama sa Pantawid Pamilya diin mupalit gyud dayon ilang mama ug gatas ug pan tam-is. Ug akong asawa maghuwat pud to nga magdala ko ug bugas. Maghuwat pud to sila nako.” (My children are now used to expecting something good for dinner such as fresh fish or pork whenever we receive something from the government such as during Pantawid Pamilya pay-outs wherein their mother always buys them milk and sweet bread as something nice. My wife now is also expecting that I bring in a sack of rice. They are all waiting for me.) he said excitedly.

Reneboy added, “ingon akong asawa nga gi ingon sa ilang meeting nga di gyud kuno na pakalimtan nga gahinan ug pagkaon ang mga bata para saktong panglawas labi na ang utan.” (My wife said that during the meetings, it is emphasized not to forget about food for good nutrition especially vegetables) said Reneboy as he picked up a bundle of kangkong.

Reneboy is just one of the nearly 4,500 fathers swarming the market place that day and all of them with a common goal of buying something good for their waiting wife and children.

Opportunities abound everywhere not just for the beneficiaries but also for small time entrepreneurs who were seen excitedly waiting by the entrance and exits of the municipal gym where the pay-out was held.

The vendors were there with their rice cakes, bread, ice water and juices, house wares and clothing. They were not disappointed at the end of the day because commerce was really brisk.

Habal-habal (motorcycle) drivers too got their share of good news as they made thrice their normal boundary as they ferried fathers to the market place and to their respective homes.

More than P13M was distributed on those two days (September 24-25) that increased opportunities for commerce as sacks of rice disappeared one by one from the counters straight to the shoulders of fathers or a waiting pedicab. Goods were also sold out!

Most of all more than 4000 families in those week nights shared a happy and healthy meal strengthening family bonds they needed to face the challenges in crossing poverty threshold together. (PIA-7 & DSWD-7)