Women-led Mandaluyong food hub modernized
The Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Muntinlupa local government have poured in P4 million to upgrade a women-led food hub that aims to promote skills development, stable livelihoods and long-term community growth.
In time for the celebration of Women’s Month, the DA, through its Kadiwa Financial Grant Assistance Program, provided P2.5 million to modernize the Muntinlupa Training and Resource Center for Women (MTRCW), while the city government invested an additional P1.5 million.
The modernized food hub now features state-of-the-art meat and fish processing equipment, expanding its reach through value-added products, including tapa, tocino, longganisa and bangus (milkfish) free of preservatives.
“The modernization strengthens food safety compliance, improves product quality and boosts market competitiveness,” the DA says.
“With its upgraded facility, MTRCW is now a sustainable hub for women-led enterprises, reflecting DA’s commitment to inclusive growth and ensuring that local cooperatives are equipped to thrive in the evolving agri-food value chain,” the agency says.
Agriculture Assistant Secretary Genevieve Velicaria-Guevarra emphasizes the broader impact on empowering women and making them an engine of growth for the local economy.
“This isn’t just a turnover of equipment. It’s a concrete step to empower women, enhance income, and strengthen food security in the community,” Velicaria-Guevarra says.
Muntinlupa Mayor Ruffy Biazon says the financial assistance from the DA will help boost the local economy, provide a more stable livelihood for women and contribute to food security.
“This is how we promote sustainability and strengthen the MTRCW as a hub for women empowerment and shared progress,” Biazon says. “Programs like this make a tangible difference for the community.”
Velicaria-Guevarra says the multimillion-peso investment aims to bridge the gap between raw agricultural production and high-value retail markets.
“The primary objective of this grant is to transform a local women’s group into a professionalized, value-adding enterprise,” Velicaria-Guevarra tells the Inquirer in a Viber message.
The financial grant, according to the agriculture official, is anchored on three pillars: enterprise modernization, economic independence and value-chain integration.
It entails establishing and upgrading a professional-grade food processing plant, boosting the cooperative’s capacity to produce high-quality, locally-made products and expanding into high-demand processed goods.
Boosting the value chain
Velicaria-Guevarra says a key feature of the project is its role in strengthening the agricultural value chain.
The cooperative will source raw materials directly from farmer and fisherfolk cooperatives, helping ensure fair prices for producers.
Velicaria-Guevarra also says the food center will have a ready market for its products through the Kadiwa program, supplying local consumers and participating in city-wide Kadiwa activities.
The DA is “actively looking” to replicate this model, according to Velicaria-Guevarra, by providing scalable grants to other women-led cooperatives with potential for enterprise development.
The agency will facilitate technical and financial support, along with promoting the “Muntinlupa model” to inspire other local government units to co-finance and support women-led agribusiness hubs.
