THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Negros Occidental is currently validating 10 more local government units (LGUs) in the province for the establishment of Negosyo Centers this year, its official said.
Engiemar Tupas, officer-in-charge chief Industry Development Division of DTI-Negros Occidental, said 10 of the 32 localities in the province have yet to establish their respective Negosyo Centers.
These are Calatrava, Toboso, Salvador Benedicto, Murcia and Manapla in the north, and Candoni, Ilog, Moises Padilla, Valladolid and Pulupandan in the south.
“All of the other cities and towns in Negros Occidental already have their Negosyo Centers, some even operating for about six years now,” he said, reiterating that under the law, all LGUs should have such facility.
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.
The Negros First Negosyo Center at the Provincial Capitol Complex in Bacolod City, the first in the province, was opened in 2015 along with those in the cities of Kabankalan and Sagay.
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.
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 2018, DTI-Negros Occidental opened seven Negosyo Centers in Binalbagan, Cadiz City, Escalante City, San Enrique, Pontevedra, Talisay City, and Silay City.
The agency had not opened additional Negosyo Centers in the province in 2019 and 2020 mainly because of budget and coronavirus disease (Covid-19) woes, respectively.
In the establishment of Negosyo Centers, the LGUs provide for the area while the DTI takes charge of the signage, furniture and other equipment, among others.
Of the 10 remaining towns, the DTI-Negros Occidental already validated the areas in Calatrava, Manapla and Toboso.
Tupas said the validation includes checking on the area where the facility will be established and whether it’s suited, as well as orientation on the services to be provided by the facility.
Tupas said they target to finish the validation for the seven other localities this month. Once ready, the launching for the 10 remaining Negosyo Centers in the province will be in March and April this year.
“Through these Negosyo Centers, we are optimistic to make the DTI programs and services more accessible to the public, to the Negrenses,” he said, adding that “for business registration, they don’t need to go to Bacolod City to have their enterprises registered as their centers can already cater to them.”