Story by: Edward San Jose, PSFI Program Officer
Pasacao, Camarines Sur, June 9, 2026. Fifty-five child caregivers from Pasacao are taking meaningful steps toward building more secure futures for their families after receiving livelihood assistance through RTS Pasacao 2.0 during a turnover activity held at Ciao Bella Café in Barangay Sta. Rosa del Norte.
The activity brought together beneficiaries from Barangay Sta. Rosa del Sur, alongside representatives from the Municipal Agriculture Office, the Office of the Mayor, the Barangay Local Government Unit, Barangay Health Workers, and project staff. Their presence underscored the strong partnership among local stakeholders in helping families become more resilient and economically self-reliant.
For many participating caregivers, livelihood opportunities have long been limited, with household incomes often dependent on seasonal or irregular work. These challenges affect families’ ability to consistently provide nutritious food, support their children’s education, and meet everyday household needs. Through RTS Pasacao 2.0, families are being equipped with practical resources that enable them to establish or strengthen small enterprises and build more sustainable sources of income.
The livelihood assistance was awarded to caregivers who successfully completed the program’s key maternal and child health interventions, including the Positive Deviance Hearth and Go! Baby Go! sessions. Beneficiaries were selected based on their readiness, interest, and proposed livelihood plans, with each enterprise carefully matched to the family’s skills, available resources, and local market opportunities to help ensure long-term sustainability.
A total of Php 361,069.33 worth of livelihood assistance was distributed to 55 beneficiaries, with each recipient receiving approximately Php 7,000 in enterprise support. Instead of cash assistance, participants received livelihood packages tailored to their chosen businesses. These included grocery stocks for sari-sari stores and rice retailing, piglets and chicks with feeds for livestock and poultry raising, weighing scales, blenders, grills, and other equipment, as well as ingredients for food vending enterprises.
The supported livelihood ventures ranged from sari-sari stores, rice retailing, food and fish vending, to poultry and livestock enterprises. By providing enterprise-specific inputs, RTS Pasacao 2.0 enables beneficiaries to immediately begin or expand income-generating activities while reducing the financial barriers to starting a small business.
For many families, the assistance represents more than an economic opportunity. It is an investment in their children’s future. Beneficiaries shared that the additional income will help cover school expenses, improve household nutrition, and provide greater financial stability for their families.
One beneficiary expressed her gratitude for the support, sharing that the livelihood package would make a significant difference in helping her family earn a more stable income. She also hoped that more families would have the opportunity to benefit from similar initiatives that empower communities through sustainable livelihoods.
The livelihood turnover forms part of RTS Pasacao 2.0’s integrated approach to improving child nutrition and family well-being. By combining maternal and child health interventions with livelihood development, the program helps address both the immediate and underlying causes of malnutrition, enabling families to build healthier and more resilient futures.
Implemented with the support of Metrobank Foundation, Inc., RTS Pasacao 2.0 continues to demonstrate how partnerships between the private sector, local government, and communities can create lasting impact. As beneficiaries begin growing their enterprises, the program reinforces that strengthening family livelihoods is an essential step toward improving child nutrition, promoting self-reliance, and building more resilient communities.
