Vice President Leni Robredo led the formal turnover of the Shared Service Facility for farmers who are part of OVP’s Omasenso sa Kabuhayan program in Tinambac, Camarines Sur, on Friday, Jan. 22, 2021.

The Shared Service Facility, provided by OVP’s Omasenso partner, the Department of Trade and Industry – Camarines Sur, includes equipment for food processing such as food dehydrator machines, heavy cast aluminum pressure cooker, stand mixer, stainless steel preparation table, commercial blender, industrial gas stove, herb and spice grinder, industrial oven, and heat gun. It is operated together with the Metro Naga Chamber of Commerce and Industry, another Omasenso partner. Partner-agencies also gave farmer beneficiaries training on various food processing techniques, which has helped them come up with an additional income source, especially amid the limitations brought by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Omasenso farmers of Tinambac now produce cucumber chips, sweet chili sauce, and other food products.

Launched in 2018, Omasenso sa Kabuhayan is an initiative of the OVP, which seeks to uplift the lives of farmers in Camarines Sur by helping them become agri-entrepreneurs. The program is made possible in partnership with government agencies and the private sector, including industrial buyers such as hotels, restaurants, and other business establishments.