Hector Tomas used the money from the “Rainbow Magnegosyo Ta Day” program to put up a makeshift store that sells soft drinks, coffee, candies, noodles, and ballot. (Contributed photo)
By Jed Wong
DAVAO CITY – As the onslaught of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic resulted in economic challenges affecting many sectors, the program “Rainbow Magnegosyo Ta Day” could not be more timely and relevant.
This is a program of the City Government of Davao that aims to help members of the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) community of the city, particularly those who express their intention to help themselves and their communities.
LGBT rights advocates have lauded the program, noting how it ensures that a sector that has always been marginalized are now being empowered economically — without the government being dole out with its assistance.
One of the beneficiaries is lesbian partners Jofail Jeminico Failagutan and Iris Sabanal. They were able to access P10,000 cash from the program at the height of the pandemic.
They said they used the money as additional capital for their small sari-sari store that features a Vendo loading station for mobile phones in a densely-populated community in Bucana, Davao City.
“Kung tabang lang ang hisgutan dako gyud kaayo ni og tabang sa amoa labi na sa among pang-adlaw-adlaw nga panginahanglan (It has really helped us with our daily needs),” Failagutan said.
He added that the anti-Covid-19 measures of the government have affected their livelihood — but she wasn’t complaining.
“Usahay mingaw tungod sa curfew karun pero ana man ang negosyo muhinay, usahay mukusog (Because of the curfew, sometimes business is slow. But doing business is always like that — it’s not good all the time),” he said.
Failagutan is one of the conveners of the Davao Pretty Butch, a group of lesbians organized on May 12, 2012. Over the years, membership of the group has increased to 115 and today. The members are active in community activities that promote the rights of LGBT and highlight their plight.
One member of the group engaged in a milk tea business, while another one in online selling of ‘ukay-ukay’.
In this group, the program has assisted 20 members. In another group, the United LGBT of Bunawan Organization (Ulbo), the program also extended financial aid to 20 gays.
Jojo Erebias, one of the leaders of the group, said the assistance came right at a time when life was “pigado kayo (depleted).”
“It was hard for many of us,” he said. “But the assistance from the city government was able to provide us with the needed help and relief.”
Erebias used the money to buy salon supplies that she also resells to small salons in their community. Part of the money, she said, she used to slowly build her own salon.
Another Ulbo member, Hector Tomas, used the money to put up a makeshift store that sells soft drinks, coffee, candies, noodles, and balot.
“We are thankful that the City Government of Davao has extended its arms to help people like us,” Erebias said.
She pointed out that the livelihood assistance has encouraged them to work hard and not rely on government dole-outs
“Maulaw man pud ta magsige og pangayo og tabang sa gobyerno. Dili man pud pwede nga magsalig na lang ta kanunay sa uban (It’s not right for us to always ask for help from the government. And it’s not correct that we always rely on others),” she said.
The money dispensed by the program, according to focal person Norman Baloro, should be returned to the government after two years.
Baloro, who is a commissioner of the Commission on the Urban Poor, explained that members of the LGBT community who accessed the financial aid should repay the P10,000 in 2 years without interest.
Today, at least 840 LGBT have accessed the fund. They represent 28 different LGBT groups.
They were made to undergo basic business management training to “capacitate them for financial literacy and resource management.”
“The city, under the good leadership of Mayor Inday Sara Duterte has consistently been rolling out livelihood programs, as part of its comprehensive anti-poverty strategy, but this year’s livelihood program is unique in a sense that its target key population beneficiaries are from a doubly marginalized sector which is the LGBT, belonging to the urban poor,” Baloro said.
“The incremental impact of this program cannot be overstated since it deeply cuts through socioeconomic class and gender and sexuality lines,” Baloro stressed.
The “Rainbow Mag Negosyo Ta day”, is a sustainable livelihood program for the LGBT sector to earn basic entrepreneurial skills, was rolled out in October 2019 with a budget of P8.4 million budget offered as a non-interest bearing loan.
The program is similar to “Mag Negosyo Ta ‘Day”, another anti-poverty program of the LGU for women.
“This program aims to help our LGBT sector to become productive for themselves, and even for their family and community. At the same time, this is also essential because we also help them to become self-reliant and independent,” Baloro said. (PNA)
