CamSur market vendors receive cash assistance and free mass rapid tests

The small-medium enterprises and businesses, especially market vendors, are among those greatly affected by the pandemic as it disrupted the mobility of people and hampered the smooth exchange of market goods. Gaining only little profit from the locally grown products being sold in the market, over 250 market vendors of Libmanan Market Vendors Association received cash assistance worth P3,000 from the Provincial Government of Camarines Sur and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on August 8, 2020 at the Bicol Central Academy School, Libmanan, Camarines Sur. The said assistance was personally awarded by Camarines Sur 2nd District Representative and Deputy House Speaker Luis Raymund R. Villafuerte, Jr. and Provincial Administrator Luigi R. Villafuerte.

Through the cash assistance program, market vendors could make up for their losses in their businesses and provide additional support for their families during the pandemic crisis. The Libmanan Market Vendors Association comprised of Libmanan Agri Products Vendors Association, Libmanan General Mechandise Vendors Association, Libmanan Fruit Vendors Association, Fresh Fish Vendors Association of Libmanan, Libmanan Fresh Meat Vendors Association, and Libmanan Riverside Market Vendors Association were the beneficiaries screened and profiled by CamSur Employment Center for the said program. Moreover, a free voluntary mass rapid test was also conducted for the market vendors who are always exposed to the potential danger of virus transmission due to working daily to sell their goods in the market.

Lillian Guererro, one of the market vendor beneficiaries of the cash assistance program, commented on the recent Facebook post of Cong. Lray Villafuerte and said, “Expressing our heartfelt thank you and gratitude po sa cash assistance para sa mga market vendors kan Libmanan, CamSur, sagcod sa pagpapaayos po kan wet market fish and meat section.”

Recently, this request of market vendors was also granted as the Provincial Government initiated the repair of the Libmanan public market, specifically the fish and meat section. The entire repair took not more than one day. Market vendors will no longer have to endure the leaks on rainy season or worry for the loose electric wirings that could cause fire since Typhoon Tisoy left infrastructure damages to the public market.

“Sa ngaran po kang samong asosasyon, Fresh Fish Vendors Association of Libmanan, dakula po ang samuyang pasasalamat na natawanan atensyon ang samuyang hinahagad sa haloy na panahon,” gratefully shared by Clarita Marquez, a fish vendor from Bagumbayan, Libmanan, Camarines Sur.

This cash assistance program is just part of Serbisyong Ka Fuerte that aims to extend much-needed support to Camarinenses in their medical, burial, shelter, livelihood, educational, financial, and other needs.