A group of village residents in Claver, Surigao del Norte, have successfully transformed their community-based initiative into a multi-million peso enterprise.
Starting with just PHP100,000 seed capital, the project now includes a pharmacy, microlending services, a hardware store, and a grocery shop.
Among the 24 success stories highlighted by the Taganito Mining Corporation (TMC) at the two-day People’s Organizations Conference held on January 9 to 10 in Claver, Surigao del Norte’s mining capital is PRIME (Panaghiusa, Reporma, Inisyatibo Magpalambo sa Ekonomiya).
During a local dialect interview, Marlyn Cañon, the group leader, shared how their business grew and branched out to what it is today.
Notably, PRIME’s 11-strong members generate sufficient monthly income, enabling them to sustain themselves without additional employment.
At the conference, Cañon and 215 other members and officers of people’s organizations (POs), including cooperatives and livelihood groups supported by TMC, delved into topics such as product development, market access and expansion, and enhancing networking and collaboration to enhance their businesses.
Melith Matabaran, TMC’s Head of Information, Education, and Communications Section, explained that the 24 POs are recipients of the livelihood program of the TMC and most of them have been organized and supported by the company since 2001.
Matabaran highlighted that the event also aimed to facilitate the POs’ online presence, with a session focusing on digital empowerment and the digitalization of marketing through online collaborations with various stakeholders.
