ILOILO CITY – The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the Iloilo City government recently distributed 133 negosyo karts or ‘nego-karts’ to ambulant vendors from the city’s seven districts, providing them with opportunities to sustain their businesses.
Beyond the carts, beneficiaries also received free food handling training to ensure safety and quality in their products.
The ‘Nego-Kart’ project aims to uplift vulnerable and marginalized workers in the informal sector by equipping them with essential livelihood tools and capacity-building assistance.
Iloilo City Local Economic Development and Investment Promotion (LEDIP) Office head Velma Jane Lao expressed gratitude to DOLE for funding the initiative.
“We sincerely thank DOLE for funding our proposal, and we hope there will be succeeding batches,” Lao said.
DOLE Western Visayas Iloilo head Joselito de la Banda lauded the beneficiaries’ enthusiasm, aligning with Mayor Jerry Treñas’ vision of inclusive community development.
Aside from the Nego-Karts, the city government and DOLE will also distribute 100 sari-sari store packages to 233 recipients, with 171 of them being women—a fitting initiative in celebration of Women’s Month.