BLESSINGS are raining on an all-male group of ice cream makers/vendors, the latest of which was a P180,000 fund from the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) to be used for the purchase of ice cream mixer.

Fernando Verseles, president of Bani Delicious Ice Cream Sustainable Livelihood Program Association (SLPA) in Bayambang led his group in accepting the latest assistance during a turnover ceremony on July 28.

The ice cream maker is expected to increase the group’s production in their small factory in Barangay Bani.

The group was originally composed of 17 men from Barangay Bani, all beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, producing and selling ice cream in carts that went to different towns in Pangasinan. They organized themselves formally in 2017 and elected Verseles as their president.

They first registered with the Department of Labor and Employment, then with the DSWD that granted them P170,000 as seed capital in April 2018 and was utilized to buy ingredients for their produce.

Being DOLE-registered, Verseles said it is a testament that they have sanitary and good product. And every day, each member contributes an amount from their sales to their bank account to ensure continuity of their operations.

Earlier, Mayor Cezar Quiambao, through CS First Bank, extended a P100,000 fund assistance as his counterpart for the group’s income of P100,000 from the seed capital given by the DSWD. The Kasama Kita sa Barangay Foundation through Quiambao also built a mini-ice cream factory in Bani for the group.

The group now accepts orders via online payment and cash on delivery payment. Their children help promote their products though Facebook.

Verseles said online selling boosts their sales and transaction is easier. He said some customers from Metro Manila order buko, ube-peanut, cookies and cream, mango-cheese, avocado or cheese flavor to be delivered to their relatives in Pangasinan as gifts during special occasions.

Each tube contains more than five gallons and costs only P1,750, cheaper than the popular brands in the market, and sold for P5 to P20 per cup.

Today, they proceed to their assigned towns on their motorcycles to sell at 8:00 a.m. and return home by 4:00 p.m.

Time was when carts of ice cream are pushed in the streets by the vendors. Next came bicycle ride and now with the use of motorcycles. (Eva Visperas)

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