DTI, Rotary bring livelihood, literacy aid to Iloilo village

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The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Iloilo Provincial Office and the Rotary Club of Midtown Iloilo joined forces for an outreach and advocacy event in Barangay 5, San Miguel, Iloilo, championing the Rotary’s 2025 theme, “Unite for Good.”

The collaborative activity highlighted the spirit of service and bayanihan, bringing together local officials, volunteers, and community leaders in a unified push for livelihood development, consumer empowerment, literacy, and oral health.

Leading the initiative were DTI Iloilo Provincial Director Ma. Dinda R. Tamayo, Division Chief Ma. Dorita D. Chavez, and Supervising TIDS Engr. Jonathan Tejida, along with Rotary Midtown Iloilo President Janice A. Gimenez, Past President Ed Chu, and Rotarian Dr. Emelie Samson.

They were welcomed by Barangay 5 Captain Arnold Saguan and his council, as well as San Miguel Mayor Bonifacio Salapantan Jr., who offered a message of thanks and encouragement to participants and organizers.

Tamayo emphasized DTI’s mission to empower communities through consumer education and MSME development, underscoring that “we aim to equip families not just with knowledge, but with real livelihood possibilities.”

As part of the event, DTI Iloilo promoted its ongoing support programs for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), which offer skills training, financial literacy, and product development assistance to aspiring entrepreneurs.

The Rotary Club’s parallel advocacy focused on literacy and access to basic oral health care, providing reading materials and hygiene kits to children and parents.

“Together, we build a stronger and more informed community,” said Rotary Midtown President Janice Gimenez. “This is what ‘Unite for Good’ is all about — pooling our resources to uplift lives in sustainable ways.”

The activity was part of a broader community partnership strategy aligning with the government’s efforts to promote inclusive growth and resilient local economies.

According to DTI Region VI data, the province of Iloilo has over 50,000 registered MSMEs, making it a key target for programs that boost entrepreneurship, especially in rural areas.

The outreach concluded with a symbolic gift-giving ceremony and a commitment to follow-up visits for monitoring and continued community engagement.