THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Negros Occidental has opened the Negosyo Center in Escalante City positioned to boost micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the locality.
This is the 19th Negosyo Center opened in the province since 2015. For this year, the facility is the third next to that in Binalbagan and Cadiz City.
DTI-Negros Occidental officials and personnel headed by Provincial Director Lea Gonzales and Mayor Eddie Montero along with other local government officials led the opening rites held at the city hall on Thursday.
Also present during the activity was Alfredo Barcelona, president of the Bacolod Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Gonzales earlier told SunStar Bacolod that like other Negosyo Centers in the province, it is lodged at the city hall.
The local government provided the office space while the DTI took charge of the signage, furniture and other equipment plus one contractual business counselor, she added.
The Negosyo Center is positioned to further enable the agency to bring its services closer to the public, especially to MSMEs in Escalante City as well as facilitate the creation of more entrepreneurs under various sectors in the locality.
The establishment of Negosyo Centers 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.
Last year, 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 are 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, DTI-Negros Occidental targets to “soft launch” three more Negosyo Centers in Talisay City, Pontevedra and San Enrique.