Vendors training, livelihood in prep for modern market

Iloilo City vendors are undergoing trainings related to business operations and market management through the City Government’s flagship program Uswag Negosyo Academy (UNA).

Launched last year in partnership with BDO Foundation, UNA has already trained and empowered 130 vendors from various public markets.

This is in preparation for the opening of modern markets which are now undergoing construction works.

Mayor Jerry P. Treñas emphasized that this initiative is a big help to market vendors.

“We want a holistic approach in the redevelopment of our public markets. Part of this is the empowerment of our market vendors so they may also improve their business and income,” he said.

The City Government is hopeful to have the 3,000 vendors all trained.

They are from Iloilo Terminal Market, Central Market, Jaro Big Public Market, Jaro Small Public Market, La Paz Public Market, Mandurriao Public Market, and Arevalo Public Market.

Endorsed by the Local Economic Enterprise Office (LEEO), the market vendor must be a bonafide member with registered business, diligently paying his or her dues and committed to finish the training.

Local Economic Development and Investment Promotion (LEDIP) Office head Velma Jane Lao said the vendors are trained by batch and have to complete six sessions of trainings in order to avail of the livelihood assistance worth P5,000.

Last year, six batches of vendors have graduated from the training. The first two batches were given livelihood assistance by the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO). The third to sixth batches were subsidized by BDO Foundation.

“We want our vendors to keep up with the redevelopment of public markets. We want to capacitate and empower them especially that we are now in the age of digitalization,” said Lao.

They are trained on Work Ethics, Service Quality, Business Registration, Digitalization, Food Safety and Handling, Customer Service, Financial Literacy, Fair Trade laws, Consumer Rights and Responsibilities, Business Continuity Planning (BCP), and Financial Education (Fish N’ Learn).

City Hall also partnered with government agencies like Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board of the Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Trade and Industry, and Iloilo City Community College for the program implementation. (Iloilo City PIO)