winning experience of LCW-San Fabian, Pangasinan in implementing women economic empowerment programs

1. A pleasant afternoon to everyone!
I’m elated and privileged to be tasked by the Chairperson
of the Local Council of Women of San Fabian, the Hon. Irene F.
Libunao, to share our experiences and learning on sustainable
livelihood projects. Thank you to the conveners, the PFLCW,
because this goes with a side package of having to visit the
beautiful City of Batangas..

3. A Paper Presented by *CYNTHIA B. SORIANO
during the PFLCW 10th General Assembly held
at Batangan Plaza Hotel, Batangas City on
November 15, 2012.
*Municipal Civil Registrar
*President-Gov’t. Lady Employees Active
Movement of San Fabian, Pangasinan
*PRO-San Fabian Local Council of Women

4.
The San Fabian Local Council of Women
(SFLCW) was initially organized in June, 2010
but was formally launched on March 19,
2011 on the occasion of the Women’s Month
Celebration with Mayor Irene F. Libunao as
the Chairperson of the Council.
Nine (9) women NGO groups at first
comprised SFLCW. This now increased to 12,
all representing 7,691 women members.

5. SFLCW Key Officers:
Chairperson MAYOR IRENE F. LIBUNAO
Pang. Council of Women, Inc.(PCWI),
San Fabian Chapter
Vice-Chairperson MS. MILDRED S. MARCELLA
GSP, Pangasinan Chapter
Secretary MS. MELECIA SAGUN
Municipal DSWD
Asst. Secretary MR. HERMINIO M. SERRAON, JR.
School Heads Association of San Fabian
( SHASFA )

6. Treasurer MS. BETTY N. MANALO
Barangay Health Workers ( BHW )
Auditor COUNCILOR HOPE B. AQUINO
Barangay Service Point Officers(BSPO)
P.R.O. MS. CYNTHIA B. SORIANO
Govt. Lady Employees Active Movement
( GLEAM )
MS. ERNA E. SENIN
San Fabian MLGOO
MS. MARCELINA D. WALTI
Daycare Workers Federation
MS. ELVIE M. BATE
KALIPI San Fabian
MS. ROSE A. MAMITAG
San Fabian Public Market Ass.

7. Women NGOs comprising SFLCW:
 Pangasinan Council of Women, Inc. ( PCWI ) San Fabian Chapter
 Government Lady Employees Active Movement ( GLEAM )
 School Heads Association of San Fabian ( SHASFA )
 Barangay Health Workers ( BHW )
 Barangay Service Point Officers ( BSPO )
 Day Care Workers Federation
 First Ladies League of San Fabian
 KALIPI San Fabian
 Seaside Women Association of Rabon ( SWAR )
 Rural Improvement Cooperative ( RIC )
 Girl Scout of the Philippines, San Fabian Chapter
 San Fabian Public Market Association

8.
Let me show you the LCW projects of San Fabian at a glance though
this flowchart which you can easily see and understand and how the
SFLCW metamorphosed into its present stature.

10. Goal of the LCW Projects :
To encourage women to engage in projects focused on
women
economic empowerment in terms of micro enterprise
development and capability building.
Multi-Purpose Cooperative –It is worth mentioning that the
founding Chairman is the present Chairperson of the LCW of
San Fabian.
Micro-Lending for Livelihood Projects and Business
NFA Rice Retailing
Insurance Underwriting

11. Objectives of the Projects:
Multi- Purpose Cooperative
•To give members access to credit to start or increase business, to
create employment and augment income.
•To engage in the supply of production inputs, raw materials,
consumer goods and other commodities for easy procurement by
members.
•To establish linkages with other institutions for services
beneficial to members.

12. Project Partners And Funding Source:
Source of Funds:
Initial Funding
Membership Fees - P 100,000.00
Cong. Jose C. De Venecia, Jr. - P 200,000.00
Congressman Gina P. De Venecia. - P 500,000.00

13. Micro-Lending for Livelihood Projects and Businesses
No. of Beneficiaries Businesses Engaged in
11 Sari-sari store business
1 Frozen Foods
2 Dried Fish
1 Assorted Inihaw
4 Vegetable Buy & Sell
15 Palay Grower
2 Corn Grower
5 Tobacco Grower
1 Bagoong Dealer
1 School Supplies
1 Dry Goods
1 Beach Cottages
2 Dress Shop
1 Toy Store
1 Goat Raising
1 Canteen

14.
Insurance Underwriting
•To provide insurance benefits to members at affordable costs
•To augment income for members interested as insurance
agents
•To ease the burden of the family left behind by the member.

15. Insurance Underwriting
Our Multi-Purpose Cooperative is the only cooperative insurance
underwriter in Pangasinan accredited by the Cooperative Insurance
System of the Philippines (CISP). It is also recognized by Cooperative
Development Authority as Millionaire Cooperative on Oct.15, 2011.
Project Description:
An Interested member is issued I CARD (Insurance Card) at a cost of
P 100 per year. entitling her to accidental and natural death benefits.
Actual beneficiaries:
1.P55,000.00 insurance benefit to the family of Mr. Lito Fernandez
from barangay Sabangan, San Fabian, Pangasinan who died of
vehicular accident
2.David Castillo who died but whose insured loan was paid by
Cooperative Insurance System of the Philippines ( CISP )

16. NFA Rice Retailing Project
- NFA rice is purchased in bulk from NFA warehouse at
lower cost. A member loans 1 sack of rice which, when
consumed and paid, is availed of repeatedly.
- During initial launching, there was lack of market. 3 to
5 sacks were loaned to 34 barangays for resale.
Proceeds of the sale were used again to repurchase
from the NFA Retail Store.
- A steady supply of rice especially to low income
members and nonmembers.
No. of Beneficiaries - 51 members and non-members

17. FOOD PROCESSING
•To provide employment opportunities to members.
•To make available to consumers, especially visitors and
tourists, products uniquely made in San Fabian.
• To tap the potential use of raw materials abundant in San
Fabian.
• To be a partner of the Local Government in promoting the
One Town - One Product (OTOP) program of the national
government.
•To augment the financial resources of the LCW.

19. Promotions
- Trade Fairs/Exhibits
- Product Sampling in public and
private offices
- Given as gifts to officials and other
personalities during functions and
gatherings. Note: Gov. Amado
Espino of Pangasinan bought 2,000
bottles for distribution to officials
and athletes during Palarong
Pambansa
- DOLE support (product display on
Labor Day trade fair)

20.
SWEETS AND DELICACIES MAKING
Source of Funds:
BALIKATAN - P 10,000 ( investment )
Mayor Irene F. Libunao as LCW President
- P15,000.00
San Fabian LCW - 10,000.00
Promotions
- Trade Fairs/Exhibits
- Product sampling during public and private functions and
gatherings
Manpower
- employment of 4 regular employees
.

21. TRAINING CENTER
1.To impart appropriate knowledge and skills to members interested to
put up own businesses.
2.To make available training facilities for continuous livelihood skills
development.
Sources of Funds:
1.Scholarship grant from SENATOR PIA CAYETANO amounting to
P100,000.00
2.TESDA - 6 months supply for hairdressing and beauty care
3.TESDA - free enhancement training
4. Mayor Irene F. Libunao as LGU Head - Supplies and facilities

22. TRAINING CENTER
Fields of Skills Training Offered
• Hairdressing (haircutting, hair coloring, hair and scalp
treatment, and hair rebonding)
• Beauty Care ( manicure, pedicure, and make-up)
• Food Processing
No. of Trainees in Hairdressing and Beauty Care - 18
No. of Trainees undergone intensive training at TESDA
Specialista - 9
Training Agency - Career Makers International Academy in
cooperation with TESDA
Training Period - December 2011 to May 2012
No. of Trainees for Bangus Sardines Making- 20
No.of Trainees for Sweets and Delicacies - 4

23. PASALUBONG CENTER
1.To serve as sales outlet for goods produced from food
processing projects as well as goods produced by members in
their small businesses.
2.To sell selected products from various small-scale
manufacturers in the province.
3.To serve as display and promotion outlet for products of LCW
and individual homemade products of members.
Source of Funds:
BALIKATAN - P 44,530.00 ( investment )
DTI - Pasalubong Building ( P 50,000.00 )
Mayor Libunao - display racks and cabinets
Business Hours: Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 8 pm

24. 5. BALIKATAN
Objectives:
1.To provide assistance to members with deceased relatives.
2.To provide credit to enterprising indigent members interested
in putting up own small business.
3.To take part in feeding projects for children and senior
citizens by providing medicines, vitamins, fortified rice and
drinks.
Source of Funds:
Special Project of members initially numbering around
800 who contribute P10 each per month to put up funds for
charitable and productive purposes.

25.
5. BALIKATAN
Beneficiaries:
15 members - P 45,000.00 @ P3,000.00 ( funeral assistance )
Pasalubong Center - P 44,530.00 ( investment )
Delicacies and Sweets Making - P 10,000.00
( investment )

26. LCW IN PICTURES
The pictures I will be showing speak for themselves. They
are mute but very eloquent evidence of what the LCW of
San Fabian is doing and had been doing.

35. Awarding of P500,000.00 to LCW
by Cong. Gina P. De Venecia

36. MARKETING OF THE PRODUCTS:
•Trade Fairs/Exhibits
•Product Sampling in public and private offices
•Given as gifts to officials and other personalities during
functions and gatherings. Note: Gov. Amado Espino of
Pangasinan bought 2,000 bottles for distribution to officials
and athletes during Palarong Pambansa
•DOLE support (product display on Labor Day trade fair)
•Product sampling during public and private functions and
gatherings

37. Best practices on transparency and
accountability.
a. Periodic meetings for
accomplishment reports
b. Audited Financial Statements
c. Submission of Reports required by
authorities or supervising agencies

38. SFLCW VOLUNTEERISM:
Volunteerism is at its best in the LCW of San Fabian.
Mayor Irene Libunao’s personal passion for the accomplishment
of the group’s goals and objectives is contagious and it
motivates. Our volunteers are the precious resource we can’t
afford to lose. They largely contribute to the sustainability of
our projects. They say, in TEAM there is no “I” but in
“VOLUNTEER” there is “U”.
Multi-purpose Cooperative
Microlending- 5 volunteers
NFA Rice Retailing – 1 volunteer
Insurance Underwriting - 1 underwriter volunteer
and 10 volunteer agents
Food Processing
Bangus Sardines - 6 volunteers
Sweets and Delicacies - 4 volunteer
Pasalubong - 2 volunteers
Training Center - 6 volunteers
Balikatan - 8 volunteers

39. We would like to thank the PFLCW for giving us this pat on our
shoulder as The Most Outstanding LCW of the Philippines for
2012 , for us to keep up what we are doing or even do better for our
women. It’s an honor to share this with the LCW of Dipolog City.
Even with this award we do not claim to be the best. Maybe
other LCWs have better practice or better projects in one way or
another but just that they failed to document what they have
been doing.

40.  Having achieved what we had, this presented a lot
of challenges. We carefully considered key
factors which depended largely on the factual
situation, organizational culture, varying attitudes
of people and dynamics between officers and co-
officers, between officers and members, between
members and other members.
 The success of our different projects is a
demonstration of diligent efforts, efficiency,
commitment, cooperation and vibrant energies of
people. The vigor and spirit of the women of San
Fabian in having pursued its various projects have
yielded positive impact not only in their lives but
in the lives of their families.

41. Before I end my presentation I owe it to my Mayor and my
Constituents to tell you something where I came from.

42. Hon. Irene F. Libunao
Municipal Mayor

43.  The municipality of San Fabian has a total land area of
8,129 hectares inhabited by 75,000 self-reliant and God-
centered people. It is dubbed as gateway to the North. It
is a place where the mountains, the seas and the plains
beautifully converge because its 34 barangays are almost
equally divided into 10 coastal, highland and 12 lowland
barangays.
 It is blessed with pure and abundant water supply because
of the presence of aquifer underneath our land. When the
rains cascade from the mountains it is filtered and stored
in this bowl-like structure underneath us.

45. San Fabian Church

46. MUTYA Park
San Fabian Sports & Civil Center
San Fabian Police Station Senior Citizens Building

47. Gazebo at Night
PTA Beach Resort
San Fabian Beach San Fabian Beach

48. San Fabian Lying-In Clinic
Rural Health Unit II

49. Heritage San Fabian Municipal Hall

50. Let me end this presentation by way of this
story for whatever this is worth to all you.

51. A man was sleeping at night in his house when
suddenly his room filled with light, and the Lord told
the man he had work to do for Him and showed him
a large rock in front of his house.
The Lord explained that the man was to push against
the rock with all his might. So, this the man did, day
after day. For many years he toiled from sun up
to sun down; his shoulders set squarely against the
cold, massive surface of the unmoving rock, pushing
with all of his might. Each night the man returned to
his house sore and worn out, feeling that his whole
day had been spent in vain.

52. Since the man was showing discouragement, the
Adversary (Satan) decided to enter the picture by
placing thoughts into the weary mind: “you have
been pushing against that rock for a long time, and it
hasn’t moved.” Thus, giving the man the impression
that the task was impossible and that he was
a failure. These thoughts discouraged and
disheartened the man. Satan said, “Why kill yourself
over this?”

53. “Just put in your time, giving just the minimum
effort; and that will be good enough.” That’s what
he planned to do, but decided to make it a matter of
prayer and take his troubled thoughts to the Lord.
“Lord,” he said, “I have labored long and hard in
your service, putting all my strength to do that which
you have asked. Yet, after all this time, I have not
even budged that rock by half a millimeter.
What is wrong? Why am I failing?”

54. The Lord responded compassionately, “My Servant,
when I asked you to serve Me and you accepted, I
told you that your task was to push against the rock
with all of your strength, which you have done.
Never once did I mention to you that I expected you
to move it. Your task was to push.
And now you come to Me with your strength spent,
thinking that you have failed. But, is that really so?
Look at yourself. Your arms are strong and muscled,
your back sinewy and brown, your hands are callused
from constant pressure, your legs have become
massive and hard.

55. Through opposition you have grown much, and your
abilities now surpass that which you used to have.
Yet you haven’t moved the rock. But your calling
was to be obedient and to push and to exercise your
faith and trust in My wisdom. This you have done.
Now my servant, I will move the rock.”
At times, when we hear a word from God, we tend
to use our own intellect to decipher what He wants,
when actually what God wants is just a simple
obedience and faith in Him. By all means, exercise
the faith that moves mountains, but know that it is
still God who moves mountains.

56. When everything seems to go
wrong .............................................
just P.U.S.H!
When the job gets you
down ...................................... just
P.U.S.H!
When people don’t react the way you think
they should ........................................
just P.U.S.H!
When people just don’t understand
you ..................... just P.U.S.H!

57. PUSH! PUSH! PUSH!

58. P - PRA Y
U - UNTIL
S - SO METHI G
N
H - HA PPENS