2 IMPACT ASSESSMENT OF TECHNO-LIVELIHOOD CARAVAN INTRODUCTION Poverty exists in the world, more so, here in the Philippines. According to the National

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1 1 Crispina Rafol Corpuz Business Management Department, De La Salle University Dasmariñas City Philippines ABSTRACT IMPACT ASSESSMENT OF CAVITE-TECHNO LIVELIHOOD CARAVAN This study assessed the impact of Cavite-Techno Livelihood Caravan (CTLC). Impact variables include household income before and after joining the program, material style of life and degree of livelihood diversification. The business traits and skills of the project beneficiaries including problems encountered, and strategies implemented after deciding to apply the lessons learned in the program. The study used chi-square test to determine a significant relationship between the program initiated and implemented by the local government unit and the household income and material style of life of the program beneficiaries. Overall, the data suggest a positive impact of the program. Project beneficiaries tend to be materially better off, have a greater diversity of livelihood activities, and have a more positive future outlook in terms of their livelihood security as compared to the time when they have not yet attended the program. Majority of project beneficiaries feels that the livelihood activities improved their business skills which are important factors to start a business. Keyword: livelihood caravan, material style of life, business traits and skills, livelihood diversification MLB 195

2 2 IMPACT ASSESSMENT OF TECHNO-LIVELIHOOD CARAVAN INTRODUCTION Poverty exists in the world, more so, here in the Philippines. According to the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA), poverty in the Philippines is predominantly rural and although varying by region, it is pervasive in Southern Philippines, including the province of Cavite especially in resettlement areas. The Philippine government provided infrastructure but could not provide work for the settlers. Unemployment and eventually lack of food became a major problem. Because of these. Caviteños face a life of poverty because of limited opportunities. To overcome the problem of limited employment in the area, the LGU s response was to initiate livelihood programs for the poor. Propagating livelihood programs to uplift the social and economic conditions of Cavite inspired the incumbent governor to initiate a program dubbed as Cavite Techno-Livelihood Caravan (CTLC).It is in this light that this study was conceptualized. STATEMENT OF OBJECTIVES 1. Determine the profile of the beneficiaries of CTLC in terms of gender, civil status, educational attainment, and number of households. 2. Find the changed brought by the program in terms of household income, material style of life, and degree of livelihood diversification. 3. Know the business traits and skills of the respondents measured in terms of their creativity, innovativeness, business knowledge, industry and passion for business, their persistence despite failure, their being a strategist, their high determination to succeed, knowledge in sourcing capital, product making, managing employees, and recording financial transactions and knowledge in selling products and services; 4. Find the problems encountered by the participants when they decided to engage in livelihood activities after attending the program; and 5. Measure the impact or success of the program in its thrust to alleviate poverty and to promote socio-economic development in Cavite based on the perception of the respondents. MLB 196

3 3 CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK Independent Variable Cavite Techno-Livelihood Caravan of the LGU Dependent Variable Household Income Material Style of Life Degree of Livelihood Diversification Business Skills Strategies Adopted Problems Encountered Impact Assessment of the Program Profile of the Beneficiaries Gender, Civil Status Educational Attainment Number of Households Intervening Variable Figure 1 Research Paradigm CTLC program is geared towards socio-economic development and poverty alleviation in the province. The study s assessment includes looking at the changes in household income, material style of life, degree of livelihood diversification, and business skills. The objective is to increase the number of entrepreneurs in Cavite instead of relying on jobs provided by multinational companies. TREATMENT OF DATA This study utilized the descriptive research design to determine the business traits and skills of project beneficiaries including strategies and problems encountered in the process of implementing the program. Chi-square was used to determine a significant relationship between the program initiated and implemented by the LGU and the household income and material style of life of the program beneficiaries. Survey questionnaires were distributed and administered to a random sample of project beneficiaries after attending the program. MLB 197

4 4 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS There are more females in the beneficiary group and most of them are married with generally 2-5 family members. This coincides with the objective that livelihood skills development should also focused on improving capabilities and activities necessary for housewives to earn a living. Activities like the micro-credit or microfinance schemes are used to promote livelihood options and skills. The program can help improve the housewives economic viability and act as a protective factor against the negative impact of the husband not earning enough to support the whole family. High unemployment and underemployment are relevant issues for all regardless of age and gender but the stakes are higher for housewives who have nothing to feed their children at home. Project beneficiaries tend to be more diversified after attending the program. The result suggests the possibility that program activities are diversifying household livelihoods, an important quality to alleviate poverty stricken areas in Cavite. Data gathered showed that 80% of the respondents indicated to have an increase in household income after attending the program. This is a reflection that the program is successful in serving as a vehicle for social progress and economic development based on the data provided by the respondents on the change in income. Data also reflects the importance of engaging other entrepreneurial endeavor instead of simply relying on the monthly income received as an employee or in just one source of income. Improvements in the lives of people either in rural or urban areas are made possible by initiating/starting a set of different livelihood activities and social interventions (Ellis, 1998). Many people have responded to poverty by becoming involved in multiple economic activities that combine salaried and non-salaried jobs. In terms of material style of life, beneficiaries have a higher percentage of electrical and non-electrical household contents after attending the program which implies that beneficiaries tend to be materially better off after attending the program. The results provide a degree of validity as beneficiaries are better off after attending the program. As for business traits and skills, the respondents believe that they are able to develop or learn entrepreneurship as a result of attending the program. This implies that the respondents believe that the program provided them with inputs that they need to make them creative and innovative, and acquire knowledge in managing employees, in sourcing capital, in product making, in recording financial transactions, and in selling products and services. The results suggest that majority of the respondents feel that the livelihood activities of the program helped them become better business persons. As pointed out by Conway and Chambers (1998), livelihood activities create new opportunities for entrepreneurs and for those people who want to build their own business. It also helps them identify and better articulate their unique interests, values and skills since they learn new skills while devoting time to engage in different worthwhile activities. It is worthy to note that in terms of strategies adopted by those who were able to succeed in their business endeavors after attending the program, participation in the LGU sponsored training program got the highest mean score of 4.24 with an MLB 198

5 5 adjectival rating of strongly agree. Based on the NEDA report written by Alonzo (2004), LGU s are better implementers of local projects like livelihood programs than National Government Agencies (NGAs) because, coming from the area, LGU s have a closer feel of people s need and they are more accountable to the people because local chief executives may be easily voted out because of poor performance unlike NGAs who often simply just get reassigned to other areas when the project fails. TABLE 1 EXPECTED CONTINGENCY TABLE (HOUSEHOLD INCOME) Income Bracket Before After 3,000 & below More than Chi-square = 8.41 Degrees of Freedom = 7 Probability = since p> 0.05, significantly different. Interpretation: The program helps in the increased income of the respondents. In terms of program success in its thrust to alleviate poverty in Cavite, using the data found in table 1, and then using chi-square to test the significance in the difference of household income before and after attending the program, results show that at 0.05 level of significance, it can be said that the CLTC program initiated by the LGU in Cavite is able to help increase the income of the respondents. CTLC program is able to uplift the living conditions of the beneficiaries by assisting them in the establishment of sustainable pro-poor livelihood programs, facilities, services and enterprise as reflected in the increase of household income after attending the program. The program includes assisting and supporting them in the promotion of their business. The program is able to develop and harness people s participation in every economic activity toward self-development through self-help and self-reliance. Today, Cavite is recognized by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) as the leading province with increasing number of small and medium scale enterprises in business registration. In 2007, a total of 13,731 registered enterprises were recorded. MLB 199

6 6 RECOMMENDATIONS On the basis of the foregoing findings and conclusions, the following recommendations are given: Considering the impact of this program to the project beneficiaries, there is a need for local government units to incorporate this program in their mandate to serve their constituents for continuous implementation of the program regardless of change in leadership after election. There is a need to improve communication and LGU level consultation process for livelihood development programs to continuously provide financial support. This includes advocating increased recognition and funding support for research based, gender sensitive, and market driven livelihood programs as well as improved linkage between the CTLC program and increased income and changes in the material style of life and degree of livelihood diversification of the project beneficiaries. The data can provide inputs to LGU officials for them to be more supportive in the program. More effective monitoring system of livelihood programs and activities at the community and barangay levels and livelihood programs planned according to suitable needs/requirements of the host community must be done. As pointed out by Alonzo (2005), local preferences are incorporated best when the community intended to benefit from the program was consulted from the very start from the inception stage up to the implementation stage of the program. Identification of personnel who will take charge in the monitoring and assessment of the program is needed because there is a need to enhance and track its impact and identify pathways out of poverty with the help of this program. These people can also help in the identification of research pathways to implement technical, institutional and policy options to reduce poverty from the provincial up to the national level. This can be done through improved characterization of the rural poor. Monitoring activities should be done throughout the program. Alliances and design activities should be evaluated for impact and replication. REFERENCES Alonzo, A. (2005). Strengthening Institutional Capacity of Local Stakeholders. Retrieved from http// Chambers R &. Conway (1998). Sustainable rural livelihoods. Practical concepts for the 21 st Century. IDS Discussion Paper. Crawford et.al. (2008). Impact Assessment of the Success Program Livelihood Activities in the Padre Rams Sanctuary Nature Reserve of Nicaragua. Practical Concepts for the 21 st Century. Coastal Resource Center. Medium Term Philippine Development Plan, No author. Can we win the war against poverty? Retrieved from http// No author. Income Poverty and Inequality in the Philippines. Retrieved from MLB 200

7 7 http// No author. National Statistical Coordination Board (Jan. 2005). Retrieved from http// No author. Philippine Export and Development Plan (2005). Malacañang, Manila. Retrieved from http// Santiaguel, Emmanuel et.al. (2005). Cooperative Power: Changing Lives: The Cavite Cooperative Story. Cooperative Union of Cavite. Uplift Organizations and Programs (2008), Retrieved from http// MLB 201