SEWING with mothers

"Peddle a spine of needle to cradle a toddler's fiddle in a spindle's kneed quibbles a sewer's single"

AG&PFI supports the community through the development of sewing courses with AG&P Cooperative and AGPFI training school for Arts and Sciences to form part of their livelihood program for 2009.

Opening the year with hopes and new identity, the Atlantic, Gulf & Pacific Company of Manila Inc. enhances AG&P Company of Manila Foundation Inc by introducing another community livelihood project in sewing and tailoring with AG&P Cooperative and CTMK.

Corazon T. Mendoza, owner, General Manager of CTMK in Manghinao, Bauan, Batangas donated nine (9) high speed, heavy-duty, Singer Sewing Machines for the program in support to the CSR of AGPFI with yearns of educating at least twenty-five (25) mothers to become professional sewers and dressmakers.

Just recently, The Department of Education (DepEd) of Bauan and the Alay-Lakad foundation Inc. (ALFI) signified full support to these and pledged financial, also material donations. The Department of Education confirmed sending teachers and staff to monitor the progress of each student armed with teaching methodologies and techniques in advanced sewing to form part of skills trainings in AGPFI technical school for Arts and Sciences.

Representing the Department of Education is Miss Erlinda Ilagan Masagcay, District Supervisor, for the Alay-Lakad Foundation is President Ramon Lagrana, a former municipal councilor of Bauan, Batangas and for AG&PFI is Marketing & Information Head, Ben S. Aclan. Together the 'tripreneurs' will ascertain to build a united foundation in the municipality of Bauan which shall be the axis of free enterprise to small producers. The market will be the industries that surround beneficiary sewers.

Each student shall be exposed to real-life consumer-to-producer-to-consumer drama, cutting edges to meet deadlines of quality, productions and quotas. The hands-on products will be sold to AG&P cooperative and vended to the buying public/corporate partners like Keppel Shipyard Philippines, Bobcock Hitachi, EEI, Petron, Pure Foods, BIPI, Malampaya, Pilipinas Shell Corp, Meralco, Caltex-Texaco, Seimens Philippines, First Gas Power Inc. and other neighboring businesses.

The technology shall be transferred to other willing and qualified trainees to support AG&P's objective of producing more career sustaining programs for the family members of AG&P employees, relatives and destitute members of the community. This shall form part of the AG&PFI's mission to become an important role player in the economic development of Bauan and the entire country.

The first batch of training for sewing and dress making is scheduled to start mid year. Waiting for formal approval from Mr. Ben S. Aclan, Marketing Head already started preparations inside the AG&P Technical schools for the up-coming Tripreneurs' summit on May 2009.

"Our communities are growing fast in number. We must cling to whatever opportunity these industries have to offer. Define, first and foremost, your priorities, develop your attitude towards flux then be first to receive them, being second is being last among two contending parties! …. Who? You against them!" Ben S. Aclan, AGPFI Marketing and Information Head, shares experience.