In attendance during the presentation were Mr Diosdado Palacat from the Office of the City Agriculturist (OCA) and representing Zamboanga City Mayor Maria Isabelle “Beng” Climaco, Mr Conrado Dizon from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Mr Dennis Febre from the International Labour Organization (ILO), representatives from the internally displaced peoples (IDPs), and from the Community and Family Services International (CFSI).

In wrapping up its support directly linked to the livelihood and food security cluster in Zamboanga, ILO and FAO held an event to allow the beneficiaries of its C-BED trainings to present their business plans to relevant government agencies (both national and local) for further support.

Alongside the beneficiaries who had participated in the C-BED trainings in Tulungatung, Mampang, Rio hondo and Buggoc, Zamboanga City were representatives from national line agencies (Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Trade and Industry, and Department of Social Welfare and Development), humanitarian partners, microfinance institutions (MFIs), civil society organizations (CSOs) and the local government of Zamboanga City.

The event started with welcoming words from Mr Diosdado Palacat of the OCA delivering a speech on behalf of Mayor Maria Isabelle Climaco of Zamboanga City.

The beneficiaries of the C-BED trainings then presented in groups the proposals that they had developed to the relevant city and government officials. Proposals presented included those for bakeries, cafeterias and food processing, dressmaking and tailoring, auto repairs and beautician services. This then led to a question and answer (Q&A) session where the agencies and organizations were able to ask questions directly to the beneficiaries about their proposals and to offer support or suggestions as well. Questions included those on how equipment would be maintained or replenished and if the groups were open to seed capital, while the beneficiaries were able to answer that they would have a bookkeeper to keep track of the monies and that they would open a savings account so that any profits generated would be deposited there, allowing them to put aside money to pay for any replacement machinery needed.

Pledges of further support to the proposals were given by a number of agencies present before the event moved towards the symbolic signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between CSOs, national government agencies (NGAs) and IDPs present in Zamboanga. This was done to further enforce and encourage commitment for the convergence of projects and interventions supporting the IDPs as part of the Livelihoods and Food Security Component of the Zamboanga City Roadmap for Recovery and Reconstruction (Z3R). This further complements the durable solutions for Zamboanga IDPs strategy and the work that ILO and FAO have been advocating for in Zamboanga in relation to the IDP situation.

While this event concluded the activities of ILO and FAO in supporting the food security and livelihood cluster, both agencies are still present in Zamboanga working on livelihoods.

Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) representative, Mr Usman, discuss the agencies' programmes on livelihoods.

 

Representative from different national government agencies (NGAs), local government units (LGUs), and internally displaced peoples (IDPs) signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

IDPs from Tulungatung, Zamboanga City presents their business plan.

Mr Giovanni Soledad of the ILO give his insights during the open forum.