15/10/2026
𝗪𝗔𝗧𝗖𝗛 | 𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗕𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘀𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗘𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗲: 𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗙𝗔’𝘀 𝗝𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵
𝐇𝐈𝐋𝐎𝐍𝐆𝐎𝐒, 𝐋𝐞𝐲𝐭𝐞— What began as a modest rice retailing venture has grown into a diversified community enterprise, creating jobs, empowering local farmers, and opening new livelihood opportunities for families in Barangay Tejero, Hilongos, Leyte.
The Tejero Rice Farmers Association (TERFA) demonstrates how government livelihood assistance, combined with community initiative and sound enterprise management, can transform a small business into a sustainable source of income.
This success story reflects the commitment of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), under the leadership of Secretary Francis N. Tolentino, to promote inclusive livelihood opportunities and empower communities through sustainable enterprise development.
In partnership with the LGU-Hilongos, Leyte through its Public Employment Service Office, TERFA received a grant under the DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program (DILP) worth ₱1,498,400, consisting of 384 sacks of commercial white rice grains valued at ₱998,400 and a rice milling machine worth ₱500,000 . With this support, TERFA can process palay sourced directly from local farmers, improve its operational efficiency, and supply quality, locally milled rice to more households at affordable prices.
Beyond rice, the association has diversified into a sari-sari store, egg production, vegetable gardening, and hog fattening. These complementary enterprises provide members with additional income opportunities and reduce their dependence on a single livelihood source.
The benefits of the DOLE-assisted project extend directly to its members. Salaries paid to workers increased from ₱196,245.36 in 2024 to ₱641,040 in 2025, supplementing household earnings from farming, which typically range from ₱3,000 to ₱3,500 monthly. Through its hog dispersal initiative, TERFA also provides individual beneficiaries with productive assets that can generate additional household income.
From 51 beneficiaries, the association grew to 81 active members as of February 2026. All 51 original beneficiaries received training in values formation, entrepreneurial skills, and basic bookkeeping, equipping them with the knowledge to manage the association’s expanding business operations.
To sustain these gains, DOLE livelihood focal persons and PESO staff continue to provide regular monitoring and business counselling, helping the association manage its resources and strengthen its enterprise operations.
TERFA’s recognition as 𝐍𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐊𝐚𝐛𝐮𝐡𝐚𝐲𝐚𝐧 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 (𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩 𝐂𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐨𝐫𝐲) stands as a testament to the association’s commitment to enterprise development and collective progress. Its journey underscores DOLE’s continuing efforts to help communities build viable enterprises through livelihood assistance, skills development, and sustained guidance.
