Iloilo City supports solo parents through Uswag Negosyo Academy

A total of 25 solo parents have completed the Capacity Development Training for Food Processing under the tRAIbaho Ilonggo Program and Uswag Negosyo Academy (UNA) on March 24, 2025.

The training program, administered by the Local Economic Development and Investment Promotion (LEDIP) Office, equips participants with entrepreneurial and food processing skills to improve their livelihoods.

LEDIP provided hands-on training covering business essentials such as Barangay Micro Business Enterprise registration, DTI business name registration, business permit applications, and basic entrepreneurship. The training also included food safety fundamentals and Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP).

“Solo parents take on dual responsibilities in their families, which is why we also need to help them,” said LEDIP head Velma Jane Lao.
“Mayor Jerry Treñas hopes this program will provide opportunities for those without work or business, while helping existing business owners expand. This will help address unemployment in the city,” she added.

Graduates received certificates and cash incentives in recognition of their accomplishment.

Triex Nueva, President of the Association of Solo Parents in Iloilo City, shared, “We are truly grateful and feel blessed as solo parents to be given this opportunity to join the UNA. The LGU and city government prioritized us because they recognize our capacity to run a business even though we are solo parents.”

“Of course, we struggle with raising our children and managing our work everyday, but we make sure to dedicate time to our businesses so that we can grow the capital they’ve provided us,” Nueva added.

Lao also mentioned that they are launching the Uswag Negosyo Academy in barangays to support more beneficiaries.
“Solo parents are one of the sectors who need support, and we will continue to reach out to more solo parents and other sectors,” she said. (Janelle Belarde/Iloilo City PIO)