Saturday, July 26, 2008 DTI, Smedsep help LGU ‘talk’ to business
THE Department of Trade and Industry–Cebu Province (DTI Cebu) partnered with the Small and Medium Enterprise Development for Sustainable Employment Program (Smedsep) in conducting a Local and Regional Economic Development (LRED) with the local government of Liloan last June 17 to 20.
A total of 77 stakeholders participated in the process—36 of whom come from the public sector and 41 from the private sector.
LRED is a process by which stakeholders from both public and private sectors are mobilized to become partners in improving the local economy and, thus, increase the area’s competitiveness.
The Liloan Municipal Government adopted LRED as its approach in determining the concerns of the business sector and the civil society, so that—together with the private sector—it can address these issues.
From the process, some interventions were identified to address the issues and concerns. For one, the business sector is now in the process of forming a local business association to ensure continuous dialogue with the local government. The local government, on the other hand, is looking at how to streamline its business permit and licensing system.
Liloan is also developing a micro, small and medium enterprise development program.
With the successful LRED in Liloan, the Smedsep—a project of the German Technical Cooperation—and DTI Cebu will replicate the process with the Municipality of Argao and other municipalities in Cebu. (PR)
