CHED, MPC, CBSUA, TBM launch project for disaster survivors

The Commission of Higher Education (CHED) Central Office Mariners Polytechnic Colleges Foundation (MPCF) in Canaman and in Legazpi Albay, the Central Bicol State University in Agriculture (CBSUA) and Tabang Bikol Movement (TBM) last Friday launched a Research and Development project on “Developing Social Enterprises for Economic Resilience of Disaster Survivors in Bicol” at the MPCF gym, Baras, Canaman Camarines Sur.

The launch signals the start of the two-year project to gather the experiences of the people in Bicol in setting up social enterprises to address problems of disaster and alleviate poverty.

The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Central Office of Policy, Research and Knowledge Management (OPRKM) provided the PhP 9.98M grant for research and development in pilot communities in Camarines Sur and Albay and replication for other provinces through research and training.

The Regional NGAS through their regional directors, namely the CHEd (RD Septon dela Cruz), the Department of Agriculture (RED Rodel Tornilla), the Department of Science and Technology (RD Rommel Serrano), the Department of Trade and Inndustry (Rodrigo Aguilar), the Deprtment of Labor (RD Zenaida Campita), the Department of Education (RD Gilbert Sadsad), and the Department of Health (RD Ernie Vera) expressed their full support of the project as it envisions community-based social enterprises as a grassroots response for resilience and empowerment.

Project Launch with the Social Enterprises and CHED Mariners CBSUA and TBM

The solar powered TBM Citronella Distillation_ Social Enterprise

The project is led by the MPCF, Canaman, Dr Marilisa Ampuan, in collaboration with the MPCF Legaspi led by President Merle San Pedro, the Central Bicol State University of Agriculture (CBSUA) led by President Dr. Aberto Naperi, and the Tabang Bicol Movement, Inc. (TBM) led by Board Chair Evita Jimenez-Tuazon. The presidents of people’s organizations led by the Peoples Organization of Disaster Survivors (PODIS), the Ilaw ng Kababaihan, and Bugkos ng Kabataan expressed hope that the project will help pave a way for developing social enterprises that will truy benefit the poor in disaster- prone Bicol. Dr Cely Binoya, the program leader presented the project goals to help draw up the proper mindset, framework, tools and strategies for Social Enterprises development.

TBM began developing social enterprises in partnership with DA-5 in the citronella production to fight dengue since 2017 after Typhoon Nina in 2016. With its DA-supported Citronella Distillation Plant powered by the DOST-supplied off-grid solar panel, and a People’s Farm in partnership with the Archdiocese of Caceres, TBM is showing the way for a multi-stakeholder all-round approach to social entrpreneurship at the Berde Asul site at Mariners with the assistance of experts from the CBSUA and other agencies from production to marketing with DTI assistance. SED News