A TOTAL of 437 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Kabankalan City, who were affected by Typhoon Odette, have received almost P3.5 million worth of cash assistance from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

The city government, in a statement, said each MSME received P8,000 in a distribution held in the city recently.

DTI-Negros Occidental Senior Trade Industry Development Specialis Engineer Engiemar Tupas, also the SMED Unit Head, the cash assistance aims to help entrepreneurs to open their businesses again after being hardly hit by the typhoon.

Vice Mayor Raul Rivera, for his part, said the assistance from the DTI will also help local businesses to stand up again and boost the local economy.

Also present during the program were DTI-Negros Occidental Senior Business Counselor III Gabriel Advincula and Victor Alamon of DTI-Kabankalan. (EPN)