By Annabel Consuelo Petinglay/Philippine News Agency
SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique — The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) livelihood project beneficiary in Antique was awarded as the regional winner during the 2019 Kabuhayan Awards held at the Prince Hotel in Metro Manila last May 27.
DOLE Antique Provincial Director Melisa Navarra said that Jake “Dodong” Esmedia, of Barangay Rombang, Sibalom town, emerged as the regional winner among the competition entries from the six provinces in Western Visayas.
“Esmedia is a recipient of the DOLE Integrated Livelihood and Emergency Employment Program that was held in collaboration with the Parole and Probation Administration,” she said in an interview Thursday.
Esmedia is among the 13 Probationers of the Department of Justice Parole and Probation Administration in Antique province, who were identified as DILEEP beneficiaries.
“I was able to receive seven thousand five hundred pesos (PHP7,500) fund which I used to purchase goats,” Esmedia said in the vernacular during an interview on Wednesday.
Esmedia said he started his goat breeding project using the livelihood fund he received from DOLE on March 7, 2016.
“I purchased two female goats and one male goat at two thousand five hundred pesos (PHP2,500) each,” he said.
In a span of two years, he said the goats were able to produce 45 kids, 33 of which were sold amounting to PHP83,500.
“Right now, I am expanding into chicken and hog raising,” he said.
He said that because of the livelihood fund, he found a new inspiration to really work hard and no longer go back to his old wayward ways.
“I will pursue this project because I want to have money for the schooling of my children,” he said. He has two children, a five-year-old and a two-year-old.
“DOLE’s project is really a big help for me,” he said.
He attributed his behavioral improvement to the Department of Justice Parole and Probation Administration in Antique province headed by Ramoncito P. Canja, who closely monitors and guides them to become good citizens.
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