CLARK FREEPORT – It’s called “Aeta-preneur” program, but it’s also for persons with disabilities (PWD’s).
The Clark Development Corporation (CDC) launched here the livelihood program meant to fill in, on sustained basis, the economic needs of the Aetas and PWD’s from surrounding communities, including those already employed in various firms in this freeport.
CDC President-CEO Arthur Tugade said the program would provide “a variety of livelihood projects to support financial needs” of the target sectors. “Christmas is a time for giving. And what better way to give back to our Aeta brothers and sisters than to teach them new skills and new methods to earn a decent living,” Tugade said,
adding that the program would be supported by the Technical Education Skills and Development Authority (TESDA).
“Our Aeta brothers and sisters are often seen peddling native wares and products. But we at the CDC are not content in just seeing them as mere vendors. No more selling of golf balls. There should be more,” Tugade added.
Aetas are known to hunt for used golf balls in various golf courses here, and resell them. Tugade noted that
the CDC is ready to provide more Aetas and PWD’s various skills such as wellness massaging and electrical
and plumbing, hollow blocks making, and such livelihood tolls as negosyo karts.
He dubbed the program as “Kabuhayan para sa may Kapansanan at Katutubo” or KKK. This, as Tugade also said that CDC will construct a wellness coffee and snack bar that will employ Aetas and PWDs.
He said CDC’s livelihood program also includes a desilting project for Aeta communities along the Sacobia river which used to be a lahar channel from Mt. Pinatubo. The project will initially involve some 50 Aeta members of the Mabalacat Aeta Tribal Association or MATA. To complement the desilting project, Tugade said Aetas will also run a small hollow block making business with the training for its operators already started last Dec. 4.
Tugade stressed that the hollow blocks manufactured by the Aetas will only be used to build small structures like concrete fences. It was reported that the first Clark locator to have committed to order hollow blocks from
this Aeta-preneur project was the BB International Leisure and Resort Development Corp. which is developing the P2.5-billion Clark Valley View Leisure and Resort Corp. and the P2-billion Midori Hotel, reputed to be the first 5-star hotel in the Freeport.
To complement the desilting project, Tugade said Aetas will also run a small hollow block making business.
But Tugade stressed that the hollow blocks manufactured by the Aetas will only be used to build small structures like concrete fences. He noted that the training for operators of the hollow block making project has started last Dec. 4.
