The city government has opened a livelihood center near SM Baguio to provide women’s organizations a permanent space to display and sell their products.

Betty Lourdes Tabanda, chair of the City Council committee on women, said Friday the center would help women develop their skills, showcase their creativity, and generate income for their families.

“The center is more than just a marketplace. It is a hub for empowerment, where our women can develop skills, showcase creativity, and contribute to their families and communities,” Tabanda said.

She said the center would operate on eco-friendly principles and promote a circular economy, in line with the city’s environmental goals.

“We hope this is just the beginning, and that more spaces will open to support the growing number of talented women producers in our city,” she said.

Tabanda said the center fulfills a long-standing dream of women who needed a permanent venue to sell their products.

Previously, the city government, through Tabanda, would ask organizers of Sunday Session Road closures and major trade fairs to allocate stalls for women’s organizations to display and sell their goods.

Collaboration

Tabanda said several government offices are working together to provide women’s organizations with seed funding, skills training, and other assistance to strengthen their operations and improve their financial management.

Seed funds were raised during the Ecological and Solid Waste Management Fair organized with the City Environment and Parks Management Office.

Discussions among the Baguio City Office for Social Welfare and Development (OCSWDO), the Kalipunan ng Liping Pilipina (KALIPI), and women’s group leaders led to the proposal for a permanent livelihood center, which was supported by City Council Resolution 591-2026.

Tabanda said an open space in front of the OCSWDO building was initially considered for the center, but the proposed structure would have cost PHP1 million, which was not available.

The City Building and Architecture Office then proposed converting a container van previously used as an isolation facility during the Covid-19 pandemic.

No government funds were spent on the conversion, which community members completed in one month, she said.

The center is now open for business.

Tabanda said the city government will continue exploring ways to market women’s products and establish more permanent selling spaces in other locations.

She also urged the public to support the center and help make it a sustainable source of income for women and their families. (PNA)