Posted on by Jaymante Pearl Apilado

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted us all. The outbreak limited the mobility of everyone due to the series of lockdowns to contain its spread. The economy was severely affected as businesses were forced to close down causing many to lose their job and livelihood.

Mr. Kwek food carts is owned by Mr. and Mrs. Bergonia participants of Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) from Bani, Pangasinan is one of the businesses that had to temporarily close down during the first implementation of lockdown in March 2020.

Mr. and Mrs. Bergonia, owner of Mr. Kwek food carts sharing their story of recovery from effect of pandemic.

“Natigil ang aming negosyo ng tatlong linggo at hindi namin alam kung saan kami maaaring makahanap ng pera. Mabuti na lamang pagkatapos ng unang lockdown ay pinayagan kaming makapagbenta gamit ang isa naming cart ng kalahating araw, ngunit napakaliit ng aming kinita dahil walang masyadong tao sa labas (Our business was stopped for three weeks and we didn’t know where we could find money, fortunately after the first lockdown we were allowed to sell using one of our carts for half a day, but we only earned very little because there weren’t too many people outside)”, said Louela Bergonia.

Through the SLP, the government implemented Livelihood Assistance Grant (LAG), a recovery and rehabilitation program which primarily aids low-income families or those from the informal sector whose livelihood were adversely affected due to community quarantines.

Mr. Kwek continuing its operation from series of lockdowns.

Mr. and Mrs. Bergonia received LAG under the Office of the President (OP) Fund amounting to PhP7,000.00 as an additional capital to aid and help start Mr. Kwek. “Gusto na naming sumuko noon dahil sa napakalaking pagsubok na dulot ng pandemya ngunit dahil sa pinansyal na tulong mula sa ating gobyerno ay unti-unti na naming napapalagong muli ang Mr. Kwek. Malaki ang aming pasasalamat dahil hindi kami pinabayaan ng DSWD at sa patuloy nilang pag-alalay sa kanilang mga benepisyarong nakararanas ng mga ganitong pagsubok. (We wanted to give up then because of the huge ordeal caused by the pandemic but because of the financial help from our government, we are able to recover and gradually Mr. Kwek flourished. We are very grateful that DSWD has not neglected us and that they continue to support their beneficiaries who are experiencing such trials)”, said Jeffrey Bergonia.

Because of the government’s response to help affected businesses through the LAG, Mr. Kwek and similar enterprises recovered faster from the effect of the pandemic. #(by: John Chris B. Zureta, Social Marketing Officer, Sustainable Livelihood Program)