For Jonna C. Pacinos, a 35-year-old vendor, her journey from modest origins to a thriving enterprise epitomizes the spirit of perseverance and determination.
Equipped with only a table, chair, and tarpaulin, she would diligently set up her corner at 2 in the morning daily, serving the early-morning needs of fishermen and locals who sought a comforting cup of coffee or a hearty breakfast at the fish port.
Ms. Pacinos’s small enterprise evolved into the backbone of her family’s well-being, providing not only financial stability but also supporting the education of her three children. On Tuesday, her journey came full circle as she proudly stood in front of her upgraded and vibrant stationary nego-kart from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Bicol at the Mercedes Fish Port in Mercedes, Camarines Norte.
“Maraming salamat po sa Nego-kart at sa mga gamit na ipinagkaloob po sa akin. May dagdag kagamitan para makagawa ng snack hindi lang kape at biscuit, lalo na po parating na ang summer siguradong dagsa po ang tao dito sa amin.
Napakaganda… salamat po at hindi na po ako mababasa kung sakaling umulan at nakakaenganyo po ng costumer ang negokart kiosk. (Thank you very much for the Nego-kart and for the items that were given to me. There are additional tools to make snacks, not just coffee and biscuits, especially since summer is approaching, and people are sure to flock here. It’s wonderful… Thank you, and I no longer have to worry about getting wet when it rains. The Nego-kart kiosk is also attracting more customers.), Pacino’s said.
Ms. Pacinos’s is among the ten (10) beneficiaries of the 𝗣𝗮𝗴𝗸𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗢𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝗮 𝗗𝗮𝘂𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗻 Livelihood Project of the Department in Camarines Norte. Alongside her, nine (9) other beneficiaries engaged in various livelihoods exemplify the diverse opportunities created by the initiative, such as Fruits and Vegetable vending, Almusalan operations, Coffee shop management, Lugaw vending, Native Delicacy preparation, and Burger vending.
Regional Director Ma. Zenaida A. Angara-Campita announced that 𝘿𝙊𝙇𝙀 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙗𝙚 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙫𝙞𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙣 𝙖𝙙𝙙𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 12 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙧𝙮 𝙣𝙚𝙜𝙤-𝙠𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙤𝙧𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙞𝙨𝙝 𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙛𝙪𝙧𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙯𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙋𝙖𝙜𝙠𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙊𝙧𝙖𝙜𝙤𝙣 𝙨𝙖 𝘿𝙖𝙪𝙣𝙜𝙖𝙣 𝙞𝙣 𝙈𝙚𝙧𝙘𝙚𝙙𝙚𝙨. 𝙎𝙝𝙚 𝙚𝙢𝙥𝙝𝙖𝙨𝙞𝙯𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙟𝙚𝙘𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙞𝙜𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙚 𝙩𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙢 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙤𝙢𝙮 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘽𝙞𝙘𝙤𝙡 𝙧𝙚𝙜𝙞𝙤𝙣, 𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝘿𝙊𝙇𝙀’𝙨 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙞𝙩𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙪𝙥𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙘𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙣𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙖𝙛𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙖𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙣 𝙚𝙣𝙫𝙞𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙚𝙭𝙘𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙖𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩.
“𝙏𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙣 𝙛𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙨𝙖𝙛𝙚𝙩𝙮, 𝙜𝙧𝙤𝙤𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙝𝙮𝙜𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙚, 𝘿𝙊𝙇𝙀 𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙗𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙛𝙞𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙚𝙦𝙪𝙞𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙙 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙠𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬𝙡𝙚𝙙𝙜𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚𝙨. 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙤𝙣𝙜𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙨𝙪𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙫𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙖𝙙𝙙𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙖𝙞𝙙 𝙨𝙞𝙜𝙣𝙞𝙛𝙮 𝘿𝙊𝙇𝙀’𝙨 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙞𝙩𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙛𝙪𝙡 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙟𝙚𝙘𝙩,” Campita added.
Camarines Norte Provincial Head, Ms. Cherry B. Mosatalla, extends a heartfelt message to the beneficiaries, encouraging them to prosper in their livelihoods and emphasizing the importance of taking care of the nego-karts. She wishes them good luck and highlights the necessity of hard work.
Hon. Alexander Pajarillo, Municipal Mayor, Mr. Ramil Apolinario, PESO Manager, Mr. Ricky A. Hernandez, DOLE Livelihood Focal showed their unwavering support to the project.
“𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙣𝙚𝙜𝙤-𝙠𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙨. 𝙇𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙝𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙤𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙤𝙣𝙚, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙨𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙨 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙫𝙞𝙙𝙚 𝙖 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙣𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙫𝙞𝙙𝙪𝙖𝙡𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙚𝙚𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙙𝙖𝙞𝙡𝙮 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙𝙨. 𝙄𝙩’𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙚𝙨 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙙, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙖𝙡𝙨𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙤𝙧𝙨, 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙬𝙚𝙖𝙧 𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙝𝙖𝙞𝙧 𝙣𝙚𝙩𝙨. 𝙇𝙚𝙩’𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙨𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙨; 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙗𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙨𝙞𝙜𝙣𝙞𝙛𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙚𝙣𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙮,” Mayor Pajarillo said.
The 𝗣𝗮𝗴𝗸𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗢𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝗮 𝗗𝗮𝘂𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗻 Livelihood Project is not merely a distribution of resources, but a comprehensive initiative aimed at transforming street food vending into a clean, safe, and accessible culinary experience. The commitment of DOLE to provide additional nego-karts underscores the agency’s dedication to fostering economic growth and tourism in the region.
(Source: DOLE Bicol)