Tagbilaran City gov’t empowers mothers through dressmaking, tailoring

Jocelyn Ugboc, one of the beneficiaries of the Tagbilaran City Garments Manufacturing program. | Doris C. Bongcac

MANDAUE CITY, Cebu — Jocelyn Ugboc, 48, has not had any work for years.

Ugboc, who is from Tagbilaran City in Bohol province, was focused on her role as a wife to her vlogger husband, Yul Macho, and as a mother to her only child, Alondra, who is now 23-years-old.

But when she had the opportunity to learn dressmaking, Ugboc, a junior secretarial graduate, said that she did not hesitate to do it.

She signed up for the program that the Tagbilaran City government offered at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021 to give women, especially the mothers, an opportunity to help their families.

After she completed the training that was organized by the city government, in coordination with Tesda, she had to wait for a few more months before she was able to finally start sewing clothes in 2022.

“Nindot kaayo kay nakatabang gyud [ang programa] sa amoa nga wala gyoy trabao. Naa ra sa balay. Nakatabang gyud siya kay naa mi income na unya kahibawo na pud mi manahi,” she said.

(This is a very good program because it helped us who were unemployed.  Who were just staying at home.  It helped us earn and at the same time I learned how to sew.)

The other beneficiaries of the city’s garments manufacturing program. | Doris C. Bongcac

Training

Ugboc was one of the 50 beneficiaries of the City Government of Tagbilaran Garments Manufacturing program.

In a statement, the city government said that training on dressmaking and tailoring started in March 2021 for women coming from the 15 barangays.

Program beneficiaries were divided into two groups with 25 trainees per batch.

But before the actual start of their training, they were made to undergo social preparatory trainings in values education, responsible parenting, gender sensitivity and development, reproductive health, and financial management in order to make sure that they would not forget their responsibilities as homemakers, wives and mothers.

“These social prep trainings  were provided by our partners from the University of Bohol and the skills trainings were conducted by our partners from the Bohol Island State University(BISU),” the city government said.

Mothers now work as dressmakers at the Tagbilaran City Garments Manufacturing Center in Barangay Dampas. | Doris C. Bongcac

Garments manufacturing

After they completed the skills training, TESDA then conducted competency assessment for the issuance of NC-2 Certification.

“And [from among] all [of those] who took the competency assessment, only 1 failed,” the city government said.

The city then allocated a P5 million budget for its garments manufacturing program.

Part of the allocation was spent on the repair and renovation of the 2nd floor of the City Agrivet Building in Barangay Dampas that is now used as the city’s garments manufacturing center that is under the supervision of the City Livelihood and Community Development Unit.

The city government also bought sewing machines and other equipment.

“Sa mga trained beneficiaries ang uban karon nagtukod na ug ilang kaugalingong sewing shops. Ang uban na employ na sa mga sikat nga mga fashion designers like Shanon Pamaong, ang uban pud supplier na ug mga cloth-based products sa BQ and other malls in the City,” part of the city’s statement read.

(From among the trained beneficiaries, there were those who started their own sewing shops. Others found employment with fashion designers like Shanon Pamaong who others now supply cloth0based products to BQ and other malls in the city.)

There were also others like Ugboc, who opted to stay and work at the city’s training center.

“Na attain jod ang objectives nato sa City — to provide sustainable livelihood activities to earn revenues to augment the income of the family,” the statement read.

A sample of the toga that they are working on. | Doris C. Bongcac

Bulk Orders

Ugboc said that she has started to accept individual orders.

At the same time, she also caters to bulk orders together with the about 10 other program beneficiaries who are also staying at the garments manufacturing center.

The mothers are now working on graduation togas that will be used by students of the Tagbilaran City College during their graduation this May.

According to Ugboc, they are paid per piece.

Ugboc said she is very grateful that she was able to avail of the city’s garments manufacturing program because it was giving her a sense of purpose and fulfilment.

While she earns, she is also able to take pride in her work.

“Lingaw-lingaw ni dalang paningkamot,” she said with a smile on her face.

(This is just to pass away time and enjoy ourselves, of course, we exert efforts for this.)

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