THE newly opened Negosyo Center in Binalbagan town is positioned to boost gifts, décor, and housewares (GDH) and garments sectors of the southern Negros Occidental locality.

Negosyo Center Coordinator for Negros Occidental Engiemar Tupas, who attended the unveiling rites at the municipal hall said yesterday, June 13, GDH and garments are two strong industry sectors in Binalbagan aside from sugar.

Tupas, also the senior trade and industry development specialist of Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-Negros Occidental, said the town has an abundant supply of raw materials for shell crafts, like Capiz shells, which local entrepreneurs can actually further develop as an enterprise.

“The Negosyo Center can eventually provide value-adding interventions to enable town entrepreneurs to manufacture crafts out of abundant resources that they have,” he said, adding that something has to be done with these plenty shells.

In terms of garments, some entrepreneurs of the town were already subcontractors for exporters of such commodity.

As subcontractors, they process the raw materials provided by the exporters. Once the products are made here, it will be delivered back to the exporters.

Tupas said aside from being subcontractors, entrepreneurs may further tap local clients in order to expand their domestic markets.

“The Negosyo Center can, therefore, assist them in terms of market linkage services,” Tupas said, adding that the facility will also provide training on product development that could also boost the town’s food industry.

The Negosyo Center in Binalbagan is the first of the three facilities to be opened in the province this year.

The other two centers are in Cadiz City to be opened sometime in July and Escalante City with no schedule yet.

Like most of the other centers in the province, the Negosyo Center in Binalbagan is lodged at the municipal hall.

The local government provided the office space while the DTI took charge of the signage, furniture and other equipment plus one contractual business counselor.

The establishment of Negosyo Centers is provided under the Republic Act 10644, or the Go Negosyo Act.

It provides micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) the ease of doing business and facilitates access to grants and other forms of financial assistance and shared service facilities (SSF), among others.

The law aims to ensure management guidance, assistance, and improvement of the working conditions of enterprises, and facilitate market access and linkage services for entrepreneurs.

Aside from these services, the Negosyo Center can also accept and facilitate business name registration applications.

Unlike before, enterprises there need not to go to Bacolod City anymore to process their business name registrations as it will now course through the business counselor designated at the center, Tupas said.

“We are urging entrepreneurs to really avail the services provided by the agency through the Negosyo Center,” he said, stressing that the facility is one measure of the DTI to bring its services closer and more accessible to the people.

Meanwhile, also present during the launching were DTI-Western Visayas Director Rebecca Rascon, Provincial Director Lea Gonzales and some Municipal Officials headed by Mayor Emmanuel Aranda.

Moreover, there are already 16 Negosyo Centers opened in Negros Occidental since 2015.

Last year, eight other Negosyo Centers were opened in the province, including those in Isabela, Hinoba-an, La Castellana, Cauayan, E.B. Magalona, Himamaylan, Bago City, and Sipalay City.

In 2016, the eighth Negosyo Center in the province was unveiled in Hinigaran town. Others that opened that year are those in the cities of Bacolod, San Carlos, Victorias, and La Carlota.

The Negros First Negosyo Center at the Provincial Capitol Complex in Bacolod City was opened in 2015 along with those in the cities of Kabankalan and Sagay.