Information to Empower Filipinos Abuyog, Leyte students establish own E-Konek business with DOLE's P346-K grant

Among those recently granted livelihood funds by the Department of Labor and Employment at the DOLE Training Center, was a group of 15 students from the Visayas Christian Institute of Technology in Abuyog, Leyte. DOLE Region 8 Director Exequiel Sarcauga said no less that Labor Secretary Rosalinda D. Baldoz presented the P346 thousand livelihood grant to the students saying, “It is wise to help the youth become entrepreneurs and future employers.” Director Sarcauga said that the grant will be used for their start-up project, E-Konek PC Health Services Group.

E-Konek PC Health Services Group is envisioned by the 15 students, most of whom are poor and some have stopped schooling, to provide various services, such as printing, scanning, encoding, copying, Risograph printing, and lamination, even Internet downloading and research, to clients.

"The 15 students decided to set up this kind of business as they believe there is money to be had in providing said services to the people," said Ms. Araceli Agpalasin, manager-designate of PESO-Abuyog, who helped the group. Meanwhile, Ms. Ma. Nimfa Acuna, administrator of VCIT said the young entrepreneurs have already established an office at the CMG Building along Real Street in Abuyog, Leyte. “All the 15 students are already holders of TESDA's National Competency Certificates, so they feel they are ready," she said.

The grant of P346,459.20 livelihood assistance came from DOLE under its Youth Entrepreneurship Support (YES) program that help jumpstart young people on the road to an income-earning opportunity. As an accredited co-partner of the DOLE, the VCIT is also providing a counterpart fund of P86,614.80 to bring the total cost of the project to P433,074, Director Sarcauga said. The YES program envisions young college and technical-vocational graduating students, college graduates, or would-be members of the labor force as productive, resourceful, and self-reliant entrepreneurs,” Sarcauga added.