THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has already assisted over 8,000 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Negros Occidental particularly through its various Negosyo Centers in the province, its official said.
Engiemar Tupas, officer-in-charge chief of Industry Development Division of DTI-Negros Occidental, on Thursday, January 16 said of the figures, some 4,177 are newly-assisted MSMEs.
Tupas, also the focal person for Negosyo Center in Negros Occidental, said the remaining 3,935 are existing MSMEs or those which were assisted already in the previous years.
“The assistance given to the MSMEs comes in a package, this does not end with the business name registration alone,” he said, adding that these should include having them attend seminars and orientation on consumer rights, provision of information materials, as well as encouraging them to register as Barangay Micro Business Enterprise (BMBE), among others.”
Currently, there are already 23 Negosyo Centers in 22 cities and municipalities of Negros Occidental.
Its establishment is provided under the Republic Act 10644, or the Go Negosyo Act.
It provides 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.
In 2018, DTI-Negros Occidental opened seven Negosyo Centers in Binalbagan, Cadiz City, Escalante City, San Enrique, Pontevedra, Talisay City, and Silay City.
In 2017, eight other Negosyo Centers were opened in the province. These are 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 were 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.
For this year, the agency is eyeing to open ten more Negosyo Centers in the province.
It will be in Valladolid, Pulupandan, Moises Padilla, Candoni and Ilog in the south, and Manapla, Toboso, Calatrava, Murcia and Salvador Benedicto in the north.
Tupas reiterated that the establishment of these facilities has positively contributed to the development of local entrepreneurs.
It has enabled the DTI to bring closer to the people, especially in the countryside, its services, Tupas said.
Through the Negosyo Centers, DTI-Negros Occidental has also provided entrepreneurship and business planning seminars as well as skills development trainings, among others.
“It helped in the generation of more employment especially in the countryside,” he added.