SEVERAL vendors in Mandaue City, Cebu and Bohol province are now equipped with tools and bicycles for their vending and delivery business, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE 7) said on Tuesday.

In a statement, Emmanuel Ferrer, DOLE 7 assistant director, said the P25,000 worth of package of assistance for each vendor comprises a mountain bike with lights and horn, insulator bag, helmet, reflector vest, tumbler, cellphone and a prepaid load card amounting to P2,900.

In Mandaue City, DOLE 7 released P350,000 worth of delivery business jigs and equipment to 14 vendors at the Mandaue City Sports Complex.

“We hope that this assistance will help them recover from the harsh impact of the pandemic. We already know that there are so many workers both from the formal and informal economy who lost their source of income. Under this program, it is our wish for them to bounce back economically,” Ferrer said.

In Bohol, at least five workers benefited from the project and collectively received P125,000 worth of livelihood assistance from DOLE. They received their bikes and other materials at the DOLE 7-Bohol field office.

“Our BikeCINATION project beneficiaries in Bohol hailed from the municipalities of Getafe, Valencia, Danao, Antequera and Anda. To all of them, congratulations and we hope that they will put to good use the assistance they got from the government,” DOLE 7-Bohol Officer-in-Charge Jessica Uy said.

BikeCINATION is a special project under the DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program, a grant for entrepreneurial ventures for the working poor, vulnerable and marginalized workers. (with PR)