DAVAO CITY—For sexagenarian and retiree Lorna Raza, age was inconsequential to the pursuit of a new skill. The former government employee recently had the opportunity to learn the basics of baking. The class was light, easy, and fun. Her classmates were women who, just like her, wanted to do something productive for themselves and their families.
The class was offered for free to teach underprivileged women and victims of domestic violence to be economically independent, productive and competitive.
The 60-year-old Raza, who worked as the Davao City area coordinator of the Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor (PUCP) for 28 years, was hopeful her new skill will work for her and her family.
“This is a new skill and I am just excited about the possibility of making a living out of this.”
The five-day course was introduced by the local government of Davao City through the City Cooperative Development Office in partnership with the Davao City Social Services and Development Office, and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.
Raza and 34 other women recently graduated from the course given at the Livelihood and Productivity Center, a 55-square-meter training center in SIR Matina.
Another graduate was Maria Fe Caral, a member of Samahan ng may Kapansanan sa Dabaw. A scoliotic, Fe never allowed her disability to keep her from learning a marketable skill.
Caral’s group operates a bakery in Los Amigos in Tugbok and intends to expand its operations. Although confined to her wheelchair, Caral will be one of the bakers.
The other graduates were survivors of rape and victims of violence against women.
Aside from baking procedures and techniques, occupational health and safety, hygiene procedures, costing determination and projecting revenues was instilled in the Dabawenyas.
During the training, participants baked ensaymada, banana muffins, pan de sal, chocolate crinkles, cinnamon rolls and chiffon cakes. They were also taught the basics of icing or frosting preparation and cake decoration.
“The sessions and process were light but the outputs are very good in terms of quality,” Raza said.
Donna España, head of the Davao City Social Services and Development Office’s Livelihood and Enterprise Development Unit, said the training was designed to assist and make women economically independent and productive.
“The program is two-pronged,” said España. “A participant can only be wanting to enhance her skills, but this can develop into something entrepreneurial. She can create a group and put up a cooperative or a bakery.”
Mayor Sara Duterte has always encouraged Dabawenyas to help themselves by acquiring new knowledge that can be tapped for the implementation of government programs and projects to end hunger and poverty in communities.
“We need to involve empowered women in building better and productive communities,” the mayor said. “If women are independent, strong-willed, and are able to lead, our programs and projects that address poverty and hunger will definitely be successful.”
Duterte said that “more than being heard, it is also important that the efforts of women, their presence are felt and seen.”
“Empowered women can help spur economic activities in our communities and it means employment, productivity, and livelihood,” she said.
To support women entrepreneurship, Mayor Sara approved the revival of Mag-Negosyo Ta ‘Day, a micro-enterprise program that provides technical and financial assistance to livelihood projects initiated by women.
Lorna Mandin, who heads the Integrated Gender Development Division and used to head MTD’s program management staff, noted that it has established and identified active participants and beneficiaries from community-based organized women, barangay-based micro-entrepreneurs and members of the indigenous peoples.
MTD was first implemented in the first term of Duterte in 2010.
MTD even strategically placed a number of specially designed carts in prominent places and establishments around the city to promote handicrafts, processed food and other products.