The Bangsamoro Ministry of Labor and Employment (MOLE) distributed 20 ‘Set-A-Kart’ mobile vending carts to beneficiaries across Sulu in a new tact to promote sustainable livelihoods and economic self-sufficiency among residents of this province, which is transitioning into a local government unit under the regular regional grouping outside the Bangsamoro.
Distribution began on October 20 and for the next two days, the MOLE has given all its 20 pilot vending units to pre-identified vender beneficiaries, three carts to selected student-venders of Sulu State College. Each student received P5,000 from the college to jumpstart their small businesses.
Other beneficiaries were members of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and former local insurgents. The distribution was conducted in Camp Bud Datu in Tagbak, Indanan, Sulu.
‘These particular activities reflect the MOLE and the entire Bangsamoro government’s commitment of not leaving Bangsamoro people behind wherever they may be situated,’ the ministry said.
Fully equipped for small-scale business operations, each cart comes with a bike, solar light with panel, stove, weighing scale, and other essential tools.
Beneficiaries expressed gratitude for the assistance, emphasizing that the vending carts will help improve their livelihoods.
Similar distributions were earlier conducted in other provinces, including 20 carts for venders in Tawi-Tawi in mid-October and 55 carts for venders in Maguindanao del Sur and Cotabato City in late August.
In Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte, meanwhile, 260 Maguindanao farmers get farm inputs for rice production from the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice) in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Agrarian Reform (MAFAR).
The distribution was done on October 23 in Datu Odin Sinsuat under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF), and included certified inbred seeds, fertilizers, and information, education, and communication (IEC) materials.
Of the beneficiaries, 200 came from Datu Odin Sinsuat, 10 from Mother Kabuntalan, and 10 from Talitay in Maguindanao del Norte, while 10 each were from the municipalities of Guindulungan, Talayan, Datu Anggal Midtimbang, and Datu Saudi Ampatuan in Maguindanao del Sur.
DA-PhilRice Midsayap Branch Director Sailila Abdula, said nearly 500,000 bags of certified seeds have been distributed to farmers in Maguindanao under the program between 2020 and 2025.
‘Why did RCEF exist? Because we want everyone [farmers] to be competitive-we need to use modern technologies,’ said Abdula. ‘For us to be competitive, we need unity, technology, and good governance working together-then there is no reason we cannot advance.’