TACLOBAN CITY, March 24 -- Livelihood activities supported by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) have transformed women in Eastern Samar from traditional housewives into community entrepreneurs, officials reported Monday.

As beneficiaries of the DSWD's Sustainable Livelihood Program, the 22 members of the Mother Ignacia Women's Association in Llorente, Eastern Samar, now enjoy stable income through the processing and marketing of herbal products. For over a decade, the group has been producing turmeric powder, ginger tea, banaba tea, and turmeric-based beverage mixes.

Through livelihood support and training from DSWD and other government agencies, the association now earns around PHP30,000 in monthly sales, helping ...