Region's first Tindahan Natin outlets launched in Aklan
Kalibo, Aklan - A launching of the first "Tindahan Natin" outlets outside the National Capital Region (NCR) and the first for Region 6 was held here recently attended by no less than Sec. Arthur C. Yap, Presidential Adviser for Job Creation.
Much welcomed by Aklan Governor Carlito S. Marquez who saw the project as laudable and timely and would greatly help poor Aklanon constituents, the launching was also graced by Dir. Teresita S. Rosales, OIC Field Director of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office 6, Dir. Javier P. Lozada Jr., NFA 6 Regional Director and their Aklan counterparts here, provincial officials, municipal department heads, Tindahan Natin operators and the local media.
The Tindahan Natin Project is a national government initiative for job generation, livelihood and food security. The project provides low-priced but good quality rice and noodles to low income families through a store jointly identified and endorsed by the DSWD, City/Municipal Social Welfare and Development Offices of the Local Government Units, the barangay councils and subsequently accredited by the NFA.
Secretary Yap said some other 18-19 poor communities throughout the country will benefit from the Tindahan Natin project.
Yap emphasized that food security is a component of job creation that explains the relevance of the Tindahan Natin project.
DSWD 6 Director Teresita Rosales, on the other hand, revealed that in Aklan, they are targeting to put up some 16 Tindahan Natin outlets but presently, only six will initially operate so she called on others interested to do the same to manifest their interest and get in touch with the PSWDO/MSWDO offices here as well as the National Food Authority.
For Region 6, she said they are going to establish some 221 outlets to be operated by the DSWD-SEA K beneficiaries, barangay councils, community-based organizations, LGUs, NGOs, existing retail/sari-sari stores, other organizations and military camps registered and accredited by proper regulating agencies.
Director Rosales also said the main objective of the Tindahan Natin outlets is to help fight against poverty and hunger and it is the LGUs' role to identify poor barangays where the TNs will be established or operated.
For his part, Governor Marquez told Sec. Yap and Dir. Rosales that Aklan is a rice-surplus-producing province and he suggested that the NFA, instead of importing rice from Vietnam to supply the TNs should instead buy the produce of Aklan farmers. However, Sec. Yap said that with the good quality of Aklan's hybrid rice produce, the government will be outbidded by the trades.
Yap also said the government is subsidizing the price of every kilo of rice sold at the TNs. He however appreciated the effort of the Provincial Government headed by Gov. Marquez for the vision of producing enough in the province to answer the needs of the Aklanon communities and the tourists flocking in Boracay, seen to reach the 1,000,000 mark in 2010.
"No other activity pumps money than tourism. Anyway I can help Aklan let me know," said Yap.
It was also announced during the launching that besides being the Presidential Adviser for Job Creation, Yap had just been appointed by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo as the new Presidential Management Staff (PMS) Chief.
(PIA/vgvillanueva)