CEBU City Mayor Nestor Archival is looking at sustainable livelihood programs to help unemployed solo parents, saying support for the sector is among the priorities of his young administration.
The mayor shared his plans during a rice assistance distribution for 800 solo parents from the city’s North District on Friday, Dec. 12, 2025, held at Community Hall the eighth floor of the Executive Building at City Hall.
“Though I am a new mayor, the ones I have chosen to focus my attention on are the solo parents,” Archival told the beneficiaries.
He stressed the need to strengthen programs that will provide both immediate assistance and long-term economic opportunities for solo parents.
Archival said the City Government is studying the creation of a financial assistance and livelihood support program specifically for solo parents and is now identifying possible funding sources.
As part of the initial groundwork, he asked solo parents to register with their respective barangay officials, including their contact details and skill sets, to help the City match beneficiaries with appropriate livelihood projects.
He noted that skills such as cooking and sewing could be developed into income-generating activities at the community level.
Among the options being considered is the formation of skills-based cooperatives.
Archival cited the possibility of organizing cooking groups in districts that could cater barangay-level events and accept bulk orders during holidays, reducing the City’s dependence on outside catering services.
He also floated the idea of sewing cooperatives that could take on large-scale orders, such as school uniforms, which are often outsourced to private businesses.
He said these initiatives could allow solo parents to earn while ensuring that City-funded projects benefit communities that need income support the most.
The mayor also pointed to the City Government’s existing partnership with two fast-food chains, which currently provide employment opportunities for senior citizens.
He expressed hope of developing a similar employment pathway for solo parents through partnerships with private companies.
“I am looking for alternatives, ones that are not limited to senior citizens,” Archival said.
He added that expanding job collaborations with the private sector remains a key direction of his administration.
During the event, some solo parents appealed for City-supported discounts on basic commodities.
Archival clarified that such a measure would require an ordinance from the City Council before it could be implemented.
In the afternoon, another 1,000 solo parents from the South District were scheduled to receive rice assistance at the Community Hall on the ninth floor of the same building.
The distribution is part of the City Government’s continuing effort to provide immediate relief to vulnerable sectors while laying the groundwork for long-term, sustainable livelihood programs for solo parents in Cebu City. / CAV