𝘋𝘌𝘝𝘌𝘓𝘖𝘗𝘐𝘕𝘎 𝘚𝘛𝘖𝘙𝘠

𝘉𝘰𝘢𝘤, 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘶𝘲𝘶𝘦 – In support with further development of butterfly industry in the province, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) MIMAROPA thru DOLE Marinduque Field Office collaborated with Provincial Government of Marinduque (PGM), Office of Congressman Lord Allan Q. Velasco (LAV) and other government agencies for enhancement of butterfly by-products in Marinduque. The Convergence Group also includes Livelihood and Manpower Development – Public Employment Services Office (LMD-PESO), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Technical Education Skills and Development Authority (TESDA), Department of Information, Communications and Technology (DICT), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Provincial Tourism and Cultural Office, and Association of Cawit Butterfly Breeders Village (ACBBV).

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗲’𝘀 𝗕𝗶𝗹𝗮-𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗮 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗻𝘀
Coined as the “Butterfly Capital of the Philippines”, ¹Marinduque contributed almost 80% of the Philippines’ total butterfly exports. Thus, butterfly farming is regarded as one of the major industries in the province and has great potential for generation of employment and livelihood. ²According to Professor Emma Cabildo of Marinduque State College, the butterfly farm industry in the province has been going on for the last three decades, since the 1960s.

ACBBV, the beneficiary of this project, is an organization based in Cawit, Boac and consists of butterfly farmers who make crafts, souvenirs, and other butterfly novelty items. Headed by Ms. Elizabeth Lumawig-Heitzmann, daughter of Mr. Romeo Lumawig who pioneered butterfly hobbyist in the province, these butterfly breeders have been exporting pupa for 15 years but was only formally organized last 2021.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗾𝘂𝗲 𝗕𝘂𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗹𝘆 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗞𝗶𝗰𝗸-𝗢𝗳𝗳
The first phase of the said convergence project will focus on further equipping the selected beneficiaries with the necessary knowledge and skills in butterfly by-products production through a series of lectures, demonstrations and training that will be facilitated by different concerned agencies held at Butterfly Research Center, Cawit, Boac, Marinduque.
In line with the stated objectives, on 06 October 2022, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) conducted an Entrepreneurial Development Training (EDT) for MSMEs to provide them the ability to recognize commercial opportunities, enhance management skills and develop them into an effective entrepreneur.

Furthermore, beneficiaries also attended the two-day Product Curation on Butterfly Making facilitated by DTI and Convergence Group last October 17-18, 2022 aimed at creating unique and functional butterfly-by-product souvenirs. Processes of Butterfly Preservation and Souvenir Making, Framing, Laminating and Bottling of Butterfly were discussed during the said training. Also, the participants were taught the proper pricing and costing mechanics.

Other necessary workshops were already scheduled to further capacitate the members of ACBBV. These include the conduct by DTI of Skills Upgrading on Butterfly Novelty Items on October 27-28 and DICT of Web Development and Digital Marketing and Literacy Trainings. DICT will conduct these digital trainings to help beneficiaries expand their market reach.
Prior to the lectures and demonstration, series of meetings aimed at capacitating and developing the butterfly MSMEs were conducted between:

• • Regional Director Ms. Naomi Lyn C. Abellana – Department of Labor and Employment – MIMAROPA
  • Field Office Head Mr. Philip T. Alano and Senior LEO Mr. Marjun S. Moreno – DOLE Marinduque
  • Hon. Presbitero J. Velasco Jr. – Provincial Government of Marinduque (Gov. Presby Velasco, Province of Marinduque)
  • Hon. Lord Allan Jay Velasco – Office of Congressman Lord Allan Jay Velasco
  • Mr. Vincent Michael Velasco – Office of Provincial Administrator Mike Velasco, Province of Marinduque

• Provincial PESO Manager Ms. Alma Timtiman – Lmd-Peso Marinduque
• Provincial Director Mr. Roniel Macatol – DTI Marinduque
• Regional Director Ms. Angelina M. Carreon thru Provincial Director Dr. Zoraida V. Amper – TESDA Region IV-B
• Regional Director Ms. Cheryl C. Ortega thru Provincial Officer Engr. Ma. Frances Pecaña – DICT Region IVB – Marinduque
• Provincial Science and Technology Director Mr. Bernardo Caringal – DOST-Provincial S&T Center Marinduque
• Regional Director Mr. Jose C. Capa – OWWA MIMAROPA
• Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer (PENRO) Ms. Imelda M. Diaz – DENR PENRO Marinduque
• Development Management Officer Ms. Mariden M. Calub – Marinduque Provincial Tourism and Cultural Office
• President Ms. Elizabeth Lumawig-Heitzmann – ACBBV

𝘌𝘕𝘋/𝘔𝘚𝘔/𝘒𝘒𝘎𝘉

¹𝘙𝘦𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘋𝘛𝘐 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘶𝘲𝘶𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘖𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘓𝘈𝘝
²𝘙𝘦𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘓𝘋𝘚 𝘔𝘳. 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘬 𝘙𝘰𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘴
𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘵 𝘊𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘛𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘰𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘴𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘓𝘔𝘋-𝘗𝘌𝘚𝘖