Drivers, buko vendors get livelihood assistance

BUKO (coconut) juice vendors and tricycle drivers of Santo Tomas town on Wednesday received P800,000-worth of livelihood assistance from the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole).

Dole-Pampanga Chief Labor Employment Officer Arlene Tolentino said 20 buko vendors were awarded buko kart package including buko juice ingredients and new containers.

Tolentino said the beneficiaries were the same buko vendors that were given buko karts from Dole around 12 years ago.

"We are happy that they were able to utilize the facility given to them. Imagine, after 12 years nagagamit pa din nila. Ibig sabihin iniingatan talaga nila at pinahalagahan ang tulong na binibigay ng gobyerno," she said.

Tolentino disclosed that the agency allocated P300,000 for the livelihood assistance of the buko vendors.

Members of the St. Thomas Tricycle Operators and Drivers Association (Toda) also received P500,000-worth of motorcycle parts.

Tolentino said the motorcycle parts can be sold to Toda members under installment schemes or to walk-in buyers on cash basis.

She stressed that revenues derived from the sales will become revolving funds for St. Thomas Toda's programs and projects.

Tolentino lauded the residents of this town for taking care of the funds.

Mayor John Sambo, for his part, expressed gratitude to Dole for its generosity to his townmates.

"Salamat. Wala po kaming ibang masasabi kundi maraming salamat sa lahat po ng tulong ninyo sa Sto. Tomas," he said.