SAN PEDRO, Laguna — On the celebration of International Women’s Day, Vice President Sara Duterte on Wednesday led the launching of “Mag Negosyo ‘Ta Day,” an entrepreneurship program of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) that focuses on providing financial support for women and members of the LGBTQI+.

Duterte said the launching of the program is in support to 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,” the Vice President said.

“Layunin ng 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,” she added.

The “Mag Negosyo ‘Ta Day” is a landmark project of the Davao City government where Duterte served as mayor. It was successful in enabling its beneficiaries by augmenting their daily income, making the beneficiaries economically empowered and independent. The project had been adopted by the Office of the Vice President (OVP) for nationwide implementation.

San Pedro in Laguna is the first city in the country, apart from Davao City, that was given the entreprenurial program.

“Habang ang Office of the Vice President ay naghahanda sa paglunsad ng programang ito sa buong bansa, masaya ako na ang LGU ng San Pedro, Laguna ay magiging pangunahing katuwang natin sa pagbibigay pag-asa sa mga kakabaihan at mga myembro ng LGBTQI na magkaroon ng sariling negosyo o dagdag na kapital upang palaguin ang kanilang kabuhayan,” Duterte said.

According to Duterte, the MTD 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.

The MTD program, she added, will also serve as the government’s response to neutralizing gender inequality in the labor and business sectors.

The Vice President also cited the preliminary result of the Family Income and Expenditure Survey (FEIS) which shows that there is an 18.1% poverty incidence in the country wherein an estimated 19.99 million Filipinos are living under poverty.

The program, according to Duterte, can aid in rebuilding the country’s economy, beginning with the low-lying fruits, and the empowerment of local micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) sector which can help employ over 63 percent of the Filipino workforce.

“Naniniwala ako na ang pagnenegosyo o 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,” she added.

A total of P150,000 was turned over to the city of San Pedro Laguna for the project’s implementation, which was received by San Pedro Mayor Art Mercado and his wife Mika.

Former President and Pampanga’s 2nd District Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo also attended the launching of the program.

OVP MEDIA