Four ambulant vendors in the province of Antique are the recipients of bicycles from the Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE’s) BikeCINATION project, as an incentive for completing their vaccination.

DOLE Antique information officer Donnabelle Baldonado, in an interview Tuesday, said the BikeCINATION, derived from bike and vaccination, is a special project under the DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program (DILP) that provides grant assistance for the working poor, vulnerable, and marginalized workers, particularly amid the pandemic.

“The BikeCINATION project is intended to incentivize workers who have completed the two doses of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccine and cushion the impact of the pandemic,” she said.

The bicycle that comes with an insulation bag, protective helmet, reflective vest, bike rack, cellular phone, cellphone holder, and load wallet, was awarded to Jaymark Antonio, the first recipient of the BikeCINATION project in the Municipality of Sibalom on March 3.

“I am grateful to DOLE and the local government unit (LGU) of Sibalom through its Public Employment Service Office (PESO),” he said.

He vowed to take care of the assistance to boost his livelihood, especially it was his first time to be a beneficiary of assistance from the labor department.

Antonio had been selling fishballs for more than a year using a pushcart.

With the bike, he can now even deliver food items instead of just waiting for passersby.

Other beneficiaries set to receive their assistance on March 17 are two from the municipality of Libertad and one from Pandan.

The recipients from Libertad are both ambulant vendors selling fruits, vegetables, and fish.

The lone beneficiary from Pandan, on the other hand, is engaged in selling assorted foods. (PNA)