“Nindot kining gihatag nila kanamo nga opportunity sa pag-apil niining Suroy Suroy Sugbo. Nakahalin gyud mi og nakakuha og idea unsa ang pwede namong himoon nga mga produkto dugang sa among tinda (The program has given us a good opportunity to experience this kind of activity, the Suroy Suroy Sugbo. It has given us the opportunity to sell and observe, which gives us ideas of what other products to make),” shares Rowena P. Cabahug, one of the eight (8) Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) beneficiaries who were invited to display in Lapyahan, the venue for the Suroy Suroy Sugbo northern escapade.

Suroy Suroy Sugbo, which means “wandering in Cebu” in the Cebuano language, is the official tour of Cebu Province. The Cebu provincial tourism office was organized and launched in 2005. The participants on overland bus tours would visit specific areas and stop by every municipality to visit the town center, usually at the town church and plaza, taste the local delicacies, and watch cultural presentations.

As one of the SLP’s partner agencies, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) trained these beneficiaries and invited them to sell their products at Suroy Suroy Sugbo. It gives beneficiaries the opportunity to learn new ideas for improving and packaging products. The activity allowed local entrepreneurs to showcase their products.

Rowena sells “kakanin,” or native snacks, in front of her house to help her husband, a bus driver in their town, earn a living. She shares that the activity helps small entrepreneurs meet a lot of people from different walks of life who might be interested in their products. “I saw how the others packaged their products, and it gives us the idea; it also helps us to think of things that might help us sell more, or the idea to venture into making souvenir items,” says Rowena as she shares her experience with the project development officer of the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP).

Virginia Andales, a vegetable vendor, expressed that joining the Suroy Suroy Sugbo was a great experience. She has been selling vegetables for 16 years already, but this was her first time being part of the activity. Farming and selling vegetables are the only means she knows to assist her husband and raise her family. She expressed that selling vegetables depends on someone’s luck; there are times when all your vegetables are sold, but there are also days when vegetables are left untouched. She was happy to receive the LAG from the SLP. “Ang nadawat nako sa LAG gipuno gyud nako nga puhonan sa paninda (I am grateful for the LAG that I received because it served as added capital for my vegetable selling),” quipped Virginia.

Farmers like Rowena and Virginia suffered the brunt of the pandemic. Their livelihoods suffered because of price increases in fertilizers, pesticides, and others. They hope that the government will continue organizing activities like this that will help them sell their products. The one-day activity is an opportunity for them to find a prospective market that will help them prosper.

“Isip usa ka benepisaryo niining SLP, dako akong pasalamat kay dako kaayo og gikatabang sa panginahanglan sa among panginabuhi tungud sa kalisud karong panahona (as a beneficiary of SLP, I am happy for the aid that the program provided for our livelihood, especially now that we are still in crisis),” Rowena added that being a beneficiary of the program does not end there; it widens their linkage to other offices and agencies and provides opportunities for them to grow their business. ###

(78) Views