The DSWD trains 198 Barangay Sabang, Olango Island residents to plant guso or sea moss so that they can have earn and have a livelihood. | Contributed photo
LAPU-LAPU CITY, Cebu, Philippines — Some 198 individuals from Barangay Sabang, Olango Island in Lapu-Lapu City will have a chance to start their own seaweed farm after they completed a 10-day training program teaching them how to do “guso” farming.
Aside from that they were also each given P4,350 after the training, which the trainees could use as a capital to start their ‘guso’ farms.
These Sabang residents completed their training on Wednesday, October 4, 2023.
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Guso, which is also known as sea moss or Eucheuma, is a kind of seaweed that are used to produce carrageenan, which is an ingredient in making cosmetics and in food processing.
The 10-day training of the Sabang residents was part of the Risk Resiliency Program (RRP) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
The program was in collaboration with the Lapu-Lapu City Government, the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO), and the City Agriculture and Fishery Office.
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Roderic Guisadio, the national RRP focal person of DSWD, said that they were coordinating with local government units (LGUs) in implementing the program.
“Kami po sa DSWD ay patuloy po na tumutulong at nakikipag-coordinate sa mga LGU. Kahapon po ay naka-istorya namin si mayor, marami po siyang balak didto sa lugar niyo. At nasabi niya po sa amin na lumalaki na po ang demand sa seaweeds” Guisadio said.
(We at DSWD continue to help and coordinate with the LGUs. Yesterday we talked with the mayor, who has a lot of plans for the area. And he told us that there is a big demand for seaweed.)
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Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard Chan, for his part, expressed his gratitude to DSWD.
He said that aside from acquiring new knowledge and livelihood, the trainees also received an allowance which they could use as capital.
“Maong nagpasalamat ko og dako sa Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) sa pagmugna niining programa pinaagi sa atong administrasyon kung diin, makakat-on pa sila sa pagtanum og guso, aduna pa gyud silay madawat nga cash nga ilang magamit puhon pa,” he said.
(That is why I am so grateful to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in creating this program through our administration, where they can learn to plant guso. They can also receive more cash that they can use in the future.)