THE Negros Occidental provincial government led by Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson inaugurated Tuesday, January 31, the P26 million worth of facilities that included the Technology and Livelihood Development Center (TLDC), Shared Service Facility, and Organic Trading Post at its property along San Juan St., Barangay 6, Bacolod City.

"This project with its purpose of rebuilding the resilience and enhancing the capacity of the Negrense small medium-scale enterprises is part of our measures to effectively implement an inclusive and sustainable economic recovery," Lacson said in his speech during the blessing and inauguration.

"With our partners and SMSE’s raw materials, the TLDC will be instrumental in extending assistance from product development to marketing and linkages," Lacson said.

He added, “what is important is the functionality of the facilities and that's the challenge I leave with them."

Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz II said that they will work toward the accreditation of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the Negrense products.

He said that they will come up with a standard operating procedure for the facility and formula for the food products to make it marketable locally and abroad.

"We have the facility so we have to step up the manpower," Diaz added.

The main purpose of the project is food security for our raw materials to be preserved at the facility. It is also intended to assist the SMSEs as well as the farmers, fishermen and local producers, he said.

The facility will be a one-stop-shop where business processing and branding would also be made as the provincial office of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) will put up an office inside the TLDC to help small businesses process their papers.

"We can prolong the shelf life of raw produce of our farmers while adding value. We also provide training to those who want to acquire new skills to enhance their products," Diaz said.

He also said a long-term plan is to export our products to other countries. These included sardines, dried fruits, and dried vegetables.*