CLFI’s commitment to empowering dignity: An inclusive livelihood journey with PWDs

By Rhea B. Peñaflor

When I walked into the Livelihood, Education, and Rehabilitation Center in Caloocan City for Cebuana Lhuillier Foundation’s financial inclusion activity, it was not just another outreach for vulnerable sectors. I was stepping into a space where dignity, resilience, and hope were being quietly but powerfully reclaimed by persons with disabilities.

Cebuana Lhuillier Foundation Inc. conducted an inclusive financial literacy and livelihood outreach for Bigay Buhay Multipurpose Cooperative, the first cooperative in the Philippines established and led by persons with disabilities. Founded in 1991, BBMC is a pioneering social enterprise — one that proves, time and again, that disability is not inability when access, opportunity, and trust are present.

As I listened and observed, I was deeply moved by the stories behind the faces in the room. Some of the members had been abandoned by their families. Some had once struggled with the painful question of where to go and how to survive. BBMC became more than a workplace for them — it became a home, a community, and a source of dignity. Through meaningful work, they are able to earn, support themselves, and, in many cases, provide for their families. That is the true power of livelihood rooted in dignity.

This is precisely why CLFI advocates social entrepreneurship rather than an ayuda system. While short-term assistance may provide temporary relief, it does not create pathways to self-reliance. What communities like BBMC need and deserve are opportunities to participate meaningfully in the economy. They want to work, to contribute, and to build something sustainable. Our role is not to give handouts, but to help unlock potential, strengthen enterprise, and enable long-term independence.

The financial literacy session that day marked a milestone for CLFI. It was our first financial literacy caravan delivered using Filipino Sign Language, ensuring that deaf and mute participants could fully engage in the discussion. Accessibility is not an afterthought for us; it is central to our mission. With the support of the National Council on Disability Affairs under the leadership of its executive director, Glenda Relova, and the dedicated FSL interpretation of JM Ortega of the Program Management Division, we witnessed how inclusive design transforms learning into empowerment.

This outreach was deeply aligned with CLFI’s core pillar of financial inclusion — our commitment to providing individuals and communities, especially the most vulnerable, with access to financial education, products, and services that enable long-term financial wellness. Inclusion is not simply about being present in the room; it is about ensuring that everyone, regardless of ability, has the tools and confidence to make informed financial decisions and build sustainable livelihoods.

Responding to BBMC’s expressed need for stable income sources, CLFI extended livelihood support through the donation of basic coffee business materials to help establish a PWD-run café. What made this intervention especially meaningful was that it was not imposed, but demand-driven. BBMC had already secured a space for the café at Our Lady of Fatima University Quezon City, clear proof of its readiness and entrepreneurial vision.

Beyond this immediate intervention, CLFI remains committed to continuously supporting BBMC and other cooperatives through micro-entrepreneurship pathways. This includes strengthening enterprise development, expanding financial capability, and facilitating access to Cebuana Lhuillier’s financial products and services, including our KaNegosyo Center — such as micro savings, payment solutions, and other financial tools that enable small enterprises to grow. For us, financial inclusion is most impactful when education is matched with access and opportunity.

The subsequent turnover ceremony at the BBMC office in North Zabarte, Novaliches, reinforced our shared commitment. This was not the end of assistance, but the beginning of a meaningful partnership, one that honors capability over charity and views cooperatives as long-term partners in inclusive economic growth.

I also wish to recognize the leadership of Richard D. Arceno, co-founder and managing director of BBMC. Despite mobility challenges, his continued stewardship reflects extraordinary resilience and inclusive leadership. BBMC’s strength lies in leaders like him — leaders who prove that lived experience, when paired with opportunity, can transform communities.

Our CLFI team worked as one in delivering this outreach, each contributing to a shared vision of inclusion that is practical, intentional, and human-centered. This collective effort is guided by the values championed by our president and CEO, Jean Henri Lhuillier, who consistently reminds us that “financial inclusion is not about giving people something for today, but about enabling them to build their own tomorrow.” This principle continues to shape how we partner with communities and cooperatives across the country.

As I left that day, I carried with me a renewed conviction: Financial inclusion is not an abstract policy; it is a lived experience. It is seen in the pride of a worker who earns their own income, in the confidence of a cooperative that plans its next business step, and in the dignity restored when people are trusted with opportunity.

CLFI calls on our partners and the PJLI Group to continue supporting inclusive livelihood initiatives for persons with disabilities. Building a more inclusive Philippines is a shared responsibility that requires us to move beyond aid and toward empowerment, ensuring that no one is left behind.

The author is the Programs and Development Division head of Cebuana Lhuillier Foundation Inc.