Secretary Soliman signs MOU with Mr. Charlito Ayco, CEO of Habitat for Humanity …
Bent on providing sustainable livelihood to beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, the Department of Social Welfare and Development formalized partnerships through Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) with the Habitat for Humanity, Bernabest Food Products, Incorporated, and Security Bank Corporation. The signing of the MOUs was held on November 28 at the Dusit Thani Manila.
Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman thanked each of the partners for their generous support in providing livelihood opportunities to the beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilya.
The Habitat for Humanity is no stranger to the DSWD as the two have partnered for housing projects in the past. This time around, the newly established partnership, ‘Building Blocks, Building Lives’ is comprised of skills development training in the production of hollow-blocks and other construction materials. Aside from that, the Habitat for Humanity will also help in employment facilitation through construction-based services.
… Mr. Edwin Bernabe, CEO of Bernabest Food Products …
On the other hand, the partnership with Bernabest Food Products, Inc., a successful company of food kiosk franchises, is aimed at providing employment opportunities to the beneficiaries. The partnership can also potentially help the beneficiaries establish their own Bernabest franchises in the future. Edwin Bernabe, Chief Operations Officer of Bernabest shared, “This is our way of paying it forward. We know what it’s like to be poor.”
… and Belen Lim of Security Bank
In the same light, Security Bank representative, Belen Lim spoke about their faith in the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) of the DSWD and their desire in creating shared value as a corporation. The corporation extended their generosity through a one-million peso donation to the SLP. It will be utilized through a financial literacy and micro-enterprise development program for beneficiaries in La Trinidad, Benguet and Tagum, Davao.
“We aim for healthy, strong, and just communities in solidarity with each other,” Secretary Soliman said. Secretary Soliman added that “through the promising partnerships with institutions from the private sector, the DSWD sees the potential in creating a formidable alliance between the public and private sector through more projects like the Sustainable Livelihood Program.” ###
