DSWD’s livelihood association opens foodhouse in Surigao City
By Susil D. Ragas
SURIGAO CITY, Surigao del Norte (PIA) — Tourism in the renowned “little Venice” of Surigao City gets a delicious upgrade as the Day-asan Matatag Sustainable Livelihood Program Association (SLPA) recently opened its STK Hauz, funded through a P450,000 livelihood grant from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Caraga, under its Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP).
Located at the heart of the iconic floating village at the Day-asan Pavilion Hall in Barangay Day-asan, this new culinary hub promises to elevate the local travel experience by serving fresh, authentic, and customizable seafood dishes, aiming to be the city’s premier stopover for both residents and travelers.
After a day of navigating the village’s stilt houses, crystal-clear waters, and scenic mangrove channels, visitors can wind down and indulge in a true feast with the menu of ‘sugba, tuwa, kilaw’ (STK), commonly known as either grilled (sugba), stewed in a savory broth (tuwa), or served raw in a citrus marinade (kilaw).
Surigao City Tourism Officer Roselyn Armida B. Merlin said that the menu sets the dining hub apart from other local restaurants. “STK Hauz offers an interactive experience where guests can personally select from a wide array of freshly harvested seafood, local fish, and premium meats, and have them prepared exactly to their STK liking.”
More than just a restaurant, STK Hauz represents a milestone in community-led tourism, she said. “By choosing to dine here, tourists are directly contributing to the economic resilience of the Day-asan community.”
The opening of the said STK Hauz was attended by Surigao City Mayor Paul Yves L. Dumlao II, City Councilors Arnold Go, Karl Casurra, city department heads, and barangay officials.
The initiative aligns with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to provide opportunities to communities, with DSWD’s SLP providing financial and technical support to the SLPA, empowering members to manage sustainable businesses and directly translating Surigao’s booming tourism into concrete livelihoods for local families.
SLP Day-asan President Jennifer Clor said, “The seed capital belongs to every single member of this association. It represents the government’s trust in our collective capacity to run a successful, sustainable enterprise that will uplift our families and our community. The success of the STK Hauz depends entirely on our discipline, honesty in managing the finances, and our unwavering teamwork.” (SDR, PIA Surigao del Norte with a report from Surigao City PIO)
