THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) reported that 775 enterprises, mostly micro scale, have closed down due to the prevailing coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.
Engiemar Tupas, officer-in-charge chief of the Industry Development Division of DTI-Negros Occidental, said these enterprises have ceased operation as of January to September this year.
Of which, 304 are in Bacolod City and 471 in Negros Occidental, mostly in the retail sector.
Tupas said the pandemic has significantly lessened the market for these enterprises.
"Consumers are not going out of their houses so no one buys the products of these enterprises," he said, adding that the purchasing power of the people has weakened since many have lost their jobs.
Records of the agency further showed that there are 57,984 registered businesses in the province in 2019.
The DTI has implemented programs aimed at assisting local micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) during this pandemic.
Among which is the Livelihood Seeding Program-Negosyo Serbisyo sa Barangay (LSP-NSB), a program that allows a wider reach of business development assistance by bringing government services closer to the people through partnerships with local government units (LGUs).
For this year alone, the program has already catered to 847 entrepreneurs in various localities the province.
Of them, 43 have also received livelihood kits from the agency.