by admin | Jan 11, 2018 | Headlines, National News
The year 2017 was remarkable for the Department of Trade and Industry – Regional Operations Group (DTI-ROG) for its efforts in providing the much needed help to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) even as it vowed to step up efforts in 2018 for the betterment of local entrepreneurs.
DTI Regional Operations Group supervising Undersecretary Zenaida Maglaya said the agency will continue elevate its performance from the previous years to encourage more Filipinos to venture into business, resulting to more jobs.
“As part of the Trabaho at Negosyo agenda of the administration, we are proud to inform the public that the Regional Operations Group (ROG) in 2017 has worked with tireless enthusiasm with various partner agencies to support the growth of MSMEs in the country, with the establishment of the ever-increasing number of launched Negosyo Centers, established Shared Service Facilities and especially the landmark Pondo sa Pagbabago at Pag-asenso (P3) Program,” Maglaya said.
Stressing that these initiatives of focusing on MSMEs will eventually result to more entrepreneurs, Maglaya said that employment and inclusive growth will follow, adding that the Regional Operations Group “would continue foster partnership between MSMEs, development partners, and the government.”
Among the many milestones of the Regional Operations Group are the release of loans to micro entrepreneurs through the P3 program, establishment of more over 700 Negosyo Centers throughout the country, Shared Service Facilities (SSF), creating smarter entrepreneurs through the Kapatid Mentor Me Program, mounting of Diskwento Caravans, SME Roving Academies (SMERA), Agrarian Reform Communities (ARCs), the assistance to typhoon Yolanda victims through the Livelihood Seeding Program, National Industry Clustering, among others.
The Pondo sa Pagbabago at Pag-asenso (P3) Program, the administration’s flagship program that aims to topple 5-6 lending scheme, has assisted 20,425 micro entrepreneurs, with a total of P812.12 million loans released.
The P3 program has also started in providing assistance to entrepreneurs who are affected by the Marawi siege with a total of P375,000 loans released to 37 Maranao entrepreneurs.
Maglaya said the Pondo sa Pagbabago at Pag-asenso (P3) Program is a huge relief for micro entrepreneurs who usually are vulnerable to loan sharks.
Likewise, the agency has also established more Negosyo Centers with already a total of 718 centers throughout the country.
Maglaya said that more Filipinos are now realizing the importance of putting up a business as reflected in the number of Negosyo Center clients assited with a total of 614,417 entrepreneurs.
With more MSMEs turning to Negosyo Center for assistance, Maglaya attributed the entrepreneurship surge to the agency’s continuing drive to introduce entrepreneurship as a steady source of income, while also recognizing the agency’s partnerships with other national government agencies, and non-government organizations (NGOs), local government units, and big corporations.
The Republic Act No. 10644 or the Go Negosyo Act aims to help micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), promote ease of doing business, facilitate access to grants and other forms of financial assistance, Shared Service Facilities (SSF) and other equipment, and other support for MSMEs through national government agencies (NGAs), ensure management guidance, assistance and improvement of the working conditions of MSMEs; and facilitate market access and linkaging services for entrepreneurs.
Meanwhile, the Shared Service Facility (SSF), which provides MSMEs access to technology, machinery, equipment, tools, systems, skills and knowledge under a shared system, continues to increase with 2,222 SSFs worth P1.188 billion throughout the country, benefitting 215,628 existing and potential MSMEs and has provided 111,747 jobs to Filipinos.
With access to better technology and more sophisticated equipment, MSMEs will have higher productivity, better and efficient products, higher levels of innovation and creativity, and improved market access to address the gaps and bottle necks in the global value chain being faced by MSMEs.
The equipment-sharing program also increases capabilities of both manufacturing and agriculture-based MSMEs to enable them to develop capacity and a culture of quality.
As backbone of the Philippine economic growth, MSMEs has since become a major priority of President Rodrigo Duterte, with DTI placing the sector’s development at the front and center of its Employment and Entrepreneurship (Trabaho at Negosyo) agenda.
Maglaya emphasized that the agency will continue with these initiatives “to bring the development to the countryside.”
Maglaya assured the agency will intensify its programs for MSME development by continuing its initiatives of uplifting the MSMEs and by continuing to raise the bar of service to the Filipino public.
“The ROG will continue to support MSMEs in facing challenges concerning business environment, productivity and efficiency, and access to finance and market as we continually strive to improve our brand of service to the public,” she said.
by admin | Jan 7, 2018 | Headlines, Local News / Bohol Balita
TAGBILARAN CITY January 6, 2018 (PIA)—The move to make Bohol the country’s dairy capital nears, hooves at a time.
This as the Department of Agriculture (DA) through secretary Emmanuel Pinol is set to bring to Bohol the first batch of girolando cattles which the country imports from Brazil.
The batch, according to separate sources at the DA said as much as 2,000 heads are expected to arrive in Bohol this year.
Governor Edgar Chatto, in his message to Boholanos gathered during the opening of Bohol’s third Dairy Box, a mall stall selling buffalo milk, bared the development even as Sec. Pinol has wanted to know how Boholanos would take the plan to transform the province into udder for the country’s dairy requirements and cut on imported dairy dependence. .
Gov Chatto said the government through the DA plans to import about 5,000 heads of Girolando dairy cattle from Brazil to attain the goal.
He added that the government is now awaiting the completion of the quarantine of these cattle to make sure that these imported breeds carry no diseases that can affect the native breeds in the province.
Bohol, which has been declared free from foot and mouth disease affecting cloven livestock is also particularly cautious about the entry of the disease that can be carried by imported breeds.
Bohol has over 3,000 hectares of lands at the Ubay Stock Farm which could be ideal for the target of increasing the local supply to respond to the national requirement.
The Philippines hand been largely dependent on imported milk and dairy products from New Zealand and other countries like the United States and Canada, as only 1.8 % of the national requirements produced here.
At the Ubay Stock Farm is the National Dairy Authority’s Multiplier Farm which also operates a cattle dairy farm while in the same complex is the Philippine Carabao Center, which has now produced an average of 200 liters of buffalo milk daily.
Bohol livestock adopters who availed of the New Zealand Cattle dispersal program noted that milk production is not much with the tropics.
Already averaging 200 liters of carabao milk a day from its buffalo livestock farmers, the next target is to continue with the Italian Buffalo dispersals while looking at the Girolando breeds.
Research showed that Girolando cattle is a cross breed from the Dutch breed Gir and the Holtein cattle.
The goal was to get an improved breed with a high productivity, fertility and efficiency and still not be affected by the warm equatorial climate.
The female Girolando has physiological characteristics perfect for production in the tropics like udder capacity and support, size of teats, has high milk production, its black and white spots perfect for its thermo-regulatory capacity, among others.
According to the cattlesite.com, Girolandos start producing calves at around 30 months, peaks in milk production at 10 years to 15 years, with a between birth intervals at 410 days.
The governor has included the plan to realize the DA target of making Bohol the country’s dairy capital, in the provincial government’s 2018 ten priority programs. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)
by admin | Jan 5, 2018 | Headlines, National News
At least 24 Maranao entrepreneurs received assistance from the Small Business Corporation (SB Corp) in form of the Pondo sa Pagbabagao at Pag-asenso (P3) loans to help bring back the business environment in the war-torn city.
SB Corp, the micro-financing arm of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) released a total of P245,000 to 24 borrowers who were also recipient of DTI’s business starter kits. Another P10,000 P3 loan package was also released to 13 micro enterprises last week.
“DTI is bringing the government’s P3 microfinancing program closer to the entrepreneurs of Marawi by helping them start and rebuild their businesses. We are committed in reviving the vibrant business environment in the city, especially for the Maranaos who are well-known as traders,” said DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez.
As part of Task Force Bangon Marawi (TFBM), DTI, together with other government agencies comprising the subcommittee on business and livelihood (SC-BL), has assisted affected Marawi residents to bring back the illustrious business city.
DTI Undersecretary for Regional Operations Group Undersecretary Zenaida Maglaya assured that the agency has been on the ground to provide assistance to affected Marawi internally displaced persons (IDPs) to hasten the recovery and rehabilitation of the city.
“Together with member agencies of the Task Force Bangon Marawi Subcommittee on Business and Livelihood, we would make sure that Marawi City will quickly return to normalcy upon the orders of the President. We’re bringing back business for our brothers and sisters who were greatly affected by the war,” Maglaya said.
SB Corp has earmarked at least 1,000 Marawi entrepreneur beneficiaries that will receive loan packages in the first quarter of 2018.
Maglaya added that more entrepreneurs will be assisted by the agency through loan packages without interest.
The initial 37 borrowers were recipient of the DTI business starter kit from DTI Lanao del Norte and DTI Iligan City provincial offices. Succeeding loans will be done in cooperation with the local government and the administrator of the Marawi public market who shall identify qualified market stall owners as perspective borrowers.
Other micro enterprises who are neither DTI starter kit recipients or Marawi public market stall owners, may apply for P3 loans from SB Corp accredited conduits such as Radiowealth Finance Company Inc. (RFC) and CARD, Inc. who are presently operating in the area.
The provision of starter kits is in line with the order of President Rodrigo Duterte to provide livelihood to IDPs from Marawi City and other affected localities. This also follows the Administrative Order No. 03 of the President, mandating the creation of an inter-agency task force that would implement the recovery, reconstruction, and rehabilitation of Marawi City and other affected localities of which providing business and livelihood is crucial.
Member agencies of the Subcommittee on Business and Livelihood are Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP), and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).
The P3 program for Marawi will also provide credit risk support to microfinancing institutions (MFIs) including rural banks who want to start lending in the Lanao del Sur area in exchange for their timely and quick response. Loan qualification criteria will be relaxed to support gradual normalization of MFI operations in Lanao del Sur and nearby provinces where the displaced microenterprises were temporarily relocated.
Interested microenterprise owners may contact SB Corp P3 Marawi coordinators at (088) 291-8033, 0975-906-2762, or 0916-662-0488.
by admin | Dec 29, 2017 | Business, Headlines, Negosyo Center Updates
As part of the Trabaho, Negosyo agenda of the administration, which puts center the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and job generation, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has set its sight on providing both for Filipinos.
This has become prevalent with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) reported the growing interest and enthusiasm of Filipinos in venturing into business as more and more entrepreneurs turn to Negosyo Centers for assistance for MSMEs and aspiring entrepreneurs.
In the 2017 Negosyo Center year-end performance monitoring report, a total of 614,417 entrepreneurs have been assisted by these centers—leapfrogging from the June 2017 performance report of 595,573 clients assisted since the inception of Negosyo Centers in 2014.
DTI Regional Operations Group (DTI-ROG) Undersecretary Zenaida Maglaya stressed that the huge surge of entrepreneurs assisted was due to the government’s support for MSMEs and the advancing of MSMEs as economic movers of the country.
“2017 has been the year for Filipino MSMEs as the country hosted the ASEAN. With ASEAN, MSMEs were given the much needed attention in order to advance the country’s economic agenda,” Maglaya said.
With more MSMEs turning to Negosyo Center for assistance, Maglaya attributed the entrepreneurship surge to the agency’s continuing drive to introduce entrepreneurship as a steady source of income, while also recognizing the agency’s partnerships with other national government agencies, and non-government organizations (NGOs), local government units, and big corporations.
“We’re very grateful to Filipinos that they realize the huge help they get from entrepreneurship and how business contributes to society by providing employment and lifting the economy,” Maglaya said.
Philippine MSMEs account for 99.5% of the total number of established businesses and employ 62.8% of the country’s workforce, contributing substantially to the country’s manufacturing output and total employment, making it critical engines of economic growth and development.
To encourage aspiring entrepreneurs, Negosyo Centers have also conducted 11,043 skills, managerial and entrepreneurship training programs, the report showed.
Maglaya explained that Negosyo Centers are very effective in reaching out Filipinos in the countryside with DTI tallying a total of 718 centers throughout the country.
Under the current administration, a total of 343 Negosyo Centers were established, she added.
The Republic Act No. 10644 or the Go Negosyo Act aims to help micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), promote ease of doing business, facilitate access to grants and other forms of financial assistance, Shared Service Facilities (SSF) and other equipment, and other support for MSMEs through national government agencies (NGAs), ensure management guidance, assistance and improvement of the working conditions of MSMEs; and facilitate market access and linkaging services for entrepreneurs.
by admin | Dec 22, 2017 | Headlines, National News
MANILA – The families of soldiers who were killed in action in Marawi were the recent (18 December 2017) beneficiaries of livelihood packages as part of a tribute organized by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) at the PICC in Manila.
“DTI acknowledges the ultimate sacrifice made by our soldiers who fought and died during the Marawi siege. In the spirit of the season and as a show of continued support from the Duterte Administration, we decided to forego the usual department-wide Christmas party and use the funds instead to help the families of the slain soldiers,” Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said.
Over 29 families of soldiers killed in Marawi each received a Kabuhayan Starter Kit, a book on stories of DTI-assisted entrepreneurs to inspire them, several gift items and gift certificates, and toys for their children.
We also offered equity financing packages for the negosyo they would like to pursue.
Likewise, the JVO Foundation also gave food packs for each of the families that attended the event. Gift certificates amounting to a total of Php100,000 were also raffled off to the families.
Prior to this event, DTI reached out to help the soldiers who were wounded during the Marawi fighting by holding the “TNKS Po! Trabaho, Negosyo, Kabuhayan ‘Kaya Natin ‘Yan’” event at the AFP Medical Center in Quezon City on 3 December 2017.
DTI not only gave out Christmas gifts and raffle prizes to the wounded soldiers and their dependents during this event but also offered negosyo mentoring and consultations on how to start their own business. Livelihood packages also to be given once they select their preferred negosyo.
by admin | Dec 22, 2017 | Headlines, National News
MAKATI – After the record-breaking investment approval of Php 616.7 billion for 2017, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Board of Investments (BOI) met with Russian investors from BT SVAP LLC on 20 December 2017 to discuss investment intentions focusing on a pipeline coating facility in the Philippines (PH).
“More investors have expressed their confidence in the country’s economic stability and business environment under the Duterte administration. They wish to partner with us in providing more jobs and opportunities for Filipinos, especially those at the bottom of the pyramid,” said Sec. Lopez.
Igor Shaporin, BT SVAP LLC’s Chairman of the Board of Directors, expressed the company’s intention to put up a facility in Mariveles, Bataan where accessibility to sea and land transportation is easily available.
The company’s prospect location would require a big land area and will have innovative production technology in pipeline coating.
The Moscow-based BT SVAP LLC is an integrated company specializing in the development and implementation of innovative solutions in industrial production and construction of pipeline system for fuel-power complex, chemical industry, and housing and utilities infrastructure.
The group also focuses on production of protective shelves for pipes and pipelines which uses modern hi-tech production and logistics facilities, as well as multifunctional design-engineering units.
The trade chief conveyed PH’s openness to investors and the government’s efforts in diversifying investors, while also ensuring ease of doing business in the country.
“This could be a pioneer technology in the country. Apart from investments, sharing of technological know-how, and employment generation, this will also open opportunities for our domestic market and export industry,” said the trade chief.
Also at the meeting were Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, BOI Managing Head and DTI Undersecretary Ceferino Rodolfo, and DTI Undersecretaries Nora Terrado and Rowel Barba.
