NAGA CITY --- At least six Common Service Facilities (CSFs) are to be put up in Metro Naga towns by a group of women micro-entrepreneurs in an effort to help their communities realize remarkable profits thru the One-Town-One-Product (OTOP) ventures.

        The women micro-entrepreneurs are beneficiaries of trainings and workshops given thru the Gender Responsive Economic Action for the Transformation of Women (Great Women) project of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and the National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women (NCRFW).

        The planned Common Service Facilities, of which the operations are focused initially in the production of stuffs for the OTOP program, will be established in Bula for its bamboo treatment facility, Gainza (crabpaste production facility), and Milaor (Agas production center);

        Magarao (ceramics production center), Naga (packaging and labeling center) and Pili (foodstuffs with muzcovado production/packaging center).

        The CSFs shall eventually be managed and operated by the organized groups of women micro-entrepreneurs to ensure their sustainability even beyond the terms of office of the local executives that the facilities were established.

Building capacities

        In last year’s “Orgulyo kan Bikol” trade fair, the women micro-entrepreneurs were able to pursue better markets through their partnership with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), LGUs and the GREAT Women project.

        Teodora Aquino, of Gainza’s Everlasting Food Products (Talangka producer), was the top seller in the trade fair disposing more than P100,000 worth of crabpaste.

        Maria Mendones, of Botong’s Pilinut, supplies more than 1,000 orders per month of pili tarts. The impressive sales of Mendones’ product were observed after she established contacts thru the trade fair, one of which is based in Baguio City.

        The Great Women project aims at building the capacity of the Metro Naga municipalities to come up with policies and programs that will provide the women micro-entrepreneurs with better access to resources and social protection to make them effective partners in improving the lives of their families and the community.

         The policy development project, which served as a tool for the mainstreaming of gender responsiveness in the local governance, is spearheaded by the Naga City Government and the Naga City Council of Women (NCCW) headed by Atty. Leni G. Robredo, in partnership with Sentro Alternatibong Lingap-Panlegal (Saligan).

         Atty. Robredo is the Gender and Development (GAD) focal person for Naga City.

Legal basis

        The Metro Naga towns benefiting from the Great Women project are the local government units of Bula, Camaligan, Gainza, Milaor, Magarao, Naga, Pili and San Fernando.

        Under the Local Government Code of 1991, LGUs are mandated to promote the general welfare and provide basic services and facilities to their constituents.

        In advancing gender equality and women’s rights, these basic services and facilities are to be delivered in relation to the services stipulated under the Philippine Plan for Gender Responsive Development adopted through Executive Order No. 273.

        More specific provisions on LGUs role in advancing gender equality and women’s rights are contained in the Joint Memorandum Circular entered into by and between the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and NCRFW.

        In general, the Circular sets the guidelines for integrating Gender and Development (GAD) in the local planning and budgeting system through the formulation of GAD plans.