THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Negros Occidental has started implementing the Livelihood Seeding Program-Negosyo Serbisyo sa Barangay (LSP-NSB) in Barangay Rizal in San Carlos City, the first of the 13 targeted barangays in the province this year.
Engiemar Tupas, officer-in-charge industry division chief of DTI-Negros Occidental, said the one-day activity on Tuesday, July 28, 2020, covered at least 100 existing entrepreneurs in the barangay.
Tupas said they discussed to the participants the programs and services of the DTI, consumer rights, entrepreneurial mindset, business planning and minimum health protocols.
“Despite the pandemic, the DTI continues to perform its mandate to help and further develop local micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs),” he said, stressing that “local entrepreneurs need much of the agency’s assistance especially during this crisis.”
The LSP-NSB is a program of the DTI that allows a wider reach of business development assistance by bringing government services closer to the people through partnerships with local government units (LGUs).
Through the Barangay Development Councils (BDCs), the DTI shall help capacitate barangay personnel to provide basic business advisory or information dissemination services to MSMEs in the locality.
Also, the DTI, in partnership with the national government agencies, LGUs, academe, non-government organizations and private sector and through the Negosyo Centers, shall promote ease of doing business and provide access to development services for MSMEs.
In Negros Occidental, the agency targets to also bring the program to Barangays Bagong Silang in Salvador Benedicto; Poblacion in Toboso; Jonobjonob in Escalante City; Vito in Sagay City; Poblacion in Manapla; Lag-asan in Bago City; Montilla in Moises Padilla, Cabacungan in La Castellana; Buenavista in Himamaylan; Libas in Isabela, Payao in Binalbagan; and a barangay in Calatrava.
The DTI said MSME-beneficiaries may include sole proprietors, cooperatives, or sectoral associations that are located in identified barangays, including those in local communist armed conflict-affected areas and vulnerable communities such as the Indigenous Peoples.
Priority assistance shall be given to MSMEs affected by natural and human-induced calamities including health disasters arising from epidemics and pandemics, it added.
Tupas said LSP-NSB aims to increase the awareness and engagement of barangay officials about the services offered by the DTI through the Negosyo Centers.
Also, to conduct business development assistance and services, he added.
Moreover, the services offered through the program include facilitating business registration and business advisory which include MSME counseling, product development, financing facilitation, business matching and trade and investment promotion.
It also provides business information and advocacy such as information dissemination, training, seminars and workshops.