Gender and Development

Philippines: From Training to Increased Incomes in Mindanao

Market vendors in Panabo City, Philippines. Photo: Karin Schelzig Bloom, 2007

Our last issue featured a piece titled “Women’s Resource and Development Centers: Social Protection Measures for Poor Women Vendors in Mindanao.” The corresponding project, Social Protection for Poor Women Vendors in Mindanao Project, came to a close on 31 December 2007. Implemented over 5 years and financed by a $1 million grant from the Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction, the grant had two components:

• Constructing and equipping Women’s Resource Centers
• Delivering capacity development activities for poor women vendors in 8 locations

The centers, located near public markets, aimed at improving the working environment for poor women market vendors by providing day care facilities, basic health care services for women and their children, washing and storage facilities to support vending activities, and training facilities and equipment. Vendors’ associations were registered in all eight local government units (LGUs). The capacity development component comprised diverse livelihood and basic business skills training.

Kids at the Women's Resource Center in Panabo City, Philippines. Photo: Karin Schelzig Bloom, 2007.

Investing time in skills training often meant that women had to close their market stalls or pay someone else to tend to it. The investments paid off. Field visits in November and December 2007 confirmed that many vendors have new “sidelines” and earn more money than they did before. The entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well, with 10 new businesses established as a result of the project, ranging from baking to t-shirt printing. Women and communities from Kidapawan, Panabo, Ozamiz, Cabadbaran, and Surigao, and the municipalities of Mahayag, Parang, and Buluan benefited.

• In Kidapawan, women supplemented their incomes through earnings from food and handicraft ventures, such as jams, bread, spicy dili, and cornhusk flowers. The Mayor of Kidapawan and other senior local officials buy the vendors' cornhusk flower arrangements to give as gifts when they travel on official business
• In Panabo, one vendor has become a soy sauce expert while another, sells banana chips to school children. A roast chicken vendor now also sells powdered ginger
• In Surigao City, vendors produce preserved sardines in various tasty sauces and are exploring ways to market and brand their new products
• In Parang, success stories include selling home-made peanut butter, church candles, bags made from recycled tetra packs and stuffed children’s toys made from used clothing
• In Buluan, one of the fish vendors sells hand-embroidered tunics, and another vegetable vendor makes and sells bagoong (shrimp paste)—a popular condiment
• In Cabadbaran, Christmas décor is a particularly profitable seasonal sideline
• In Ozamiz City, women earn additional income selling longganisa, peanut butter, soy sauce, vinegar, and herbal medicines made from local plants
• Some of the Mahayag vendors’ products are on display in a booth in Pagadian City for the WOW Philippines program

Native delicacies are clearly popular across the region! Many poor market vendors are earning more income from varied sources, resource centers provide day care services for vendors’ children, and most of the vendors’ associations have become cooperatives eligible for microfinance funds. A DILG-sponsored final workshop and product exhibit in Davao is planned during the second half of 2008. Women vendors also plan to set up businesses through the resource centers, such as ice-cream making in Panabo, and catering in Mahayag.

The associations are committed to sustaining the resource centers and have developed business plans for the coming years. While they ultimately wish to be self-sustaining, local government support will be essential during the transition phase. Securing access to capital to expand or set up new businesses so that their new skills may be put to use will be the number one challenge for these women vendors in Mindanao.

For more information contact Karin Schelzig Bloom, SESS.

kschelzig@adb.org