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DTI awards top Go Lokal! brand discoveries for 2017
The Department of Trade and Industry through its Go Lokal! program recognized four (4) top MSME suppliers as Top Brand Discoveries for 2017 during its Go Lokal! Buyers’ Day celebration on 8 March 2018 at the DTI Go Lokal! Showroom in Makati City. Lipi Enterprises, Vicky’s Pili and Food Products, Green Life Coconut Philippines Inc., and Gifts and Graces Fairtrade Foundation Inc., were awarded Top Brand Discoveries for 2017 after careful screening of all established Go Lokal! MSME suppliers with the following criteria: sales performance, number of retail partners carrying the brand, social impact and professionalism. “As you know, this initiative of the Department is really meant to elevate and upgrade the kind of Micro SMEs that we have here in the country. We want them to be discovered. We want them to be empowered. We want to give them the mainstream place that they deserve—retail malls and outlets which are our partners. It’s different when they are given the chance to succeed,” said DTI Secretary Ramon M. Lopez during the awarding. The awarded brands were among the micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) registered in Go Lokal! that availed the product development provided by DTI and the free marketing platform through DTI’s retail partners. Mr. Joseph Lucero of Lipi Enterprises, admitted that access to selling areas was their primary obstacle before being a Go Lokal! supplier. “With Go Lokal! initiative, the DTI helped in bringing us into the malls. They were the conduit between the malls and us, small businesses,” added Lucero. In 2017, Lipi sales increased to 100% after joining Go Lokal!. Meanwhile, Gifts and Graces, a... read moreBicam committee passes Balik-Scientist Program
By JUNE S. BLANCO THE Congress Bicameral Conference Committee has approved the Balik Scientist Act – the measure designed to attract Filipino scientists now working abroad to return home. Rep. Erico Aristotle Aumentado (Bohol, 2nd District) who chairs the House Committee on Science and Technology says the move aims to invite home scientists, engineers and innovators either for short term stays to lead researches and experiments, or to come home for good for the same purpose. Aumentado expressed gratitude to Senator Paolo Benigno Aquino, his counterpart in the Senate, for pushing the same legislation “to bring back Filipino scientists, engineers, and technology entrepreneurs to work in various fields, including heath, food and agriculture, information and communications technology (ICT), and even alternative energy.” The act institutionalizes the program first established in 1975. Aumentado said his move came after observing that the program “has been a tremendous success in accelerating the flow of strategically important strategies that are vital to national development and progress. The solon said among others, the scientist will be given free round trip or one way air fare from his country of origin, reimbursement of expenses for excess baggage allowance, tax-exempt daily allowance, exemption from the licensing permit from the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), tax and duties exemption for donated equipment. Those staying for good will also have relocation allowance, exemption from tax of his monthly allowance, housing... read more
DTI partners with DICT for free internet, online learning in Negosyo Centers
Makati – Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon M. Lopez and Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary Eliseo M. Rio Jr signed a Memorandum of Agreement on 15 March 2018 to provide free wi-fi and learning modules to DTI’s Negosyo Centers. Through the agreement, DICT will provide selected DTI Negosyo Centers with free internet access, ICT equipment, and access to its Tech4ED Project. DICT’s PipolKonek Project gives free internet access to public places such as public schools, libraries, and local government units. To date, PipolKonek has already provided internet access to 44 out of the current 805 Negosyo Centers. Negosyo Centers will also carry DICT’s Tech4ED Project, a platform that offers digital literacy and other skills training; an eMarketplace; and a one-stop-shop for government applications, among others. The two agencies see digital literacy as a potential catalyst for the growth of MSMEs. Tech4ED offers “ICT for Entrepreneurs”—where micro entrepreneurs are trained to create their own website and use the internet to increase their market reach. “This convergence of the DICT and DTI will arm the entrepreneurs, especially in the regions, with the tools they need to develop and innovate on their products and conduct their business online. Connectivity and digital literacy are the future-proof ways to help those at the bottom of the pyramid,” said Secretary Lopez. Further plans include merging existing Tech4ED Centers and Negosyo Centers since some of them are housed in the same local government units. The DICT is also open to host DTI’s educational materials in the Tech4ED platform. “The DICT’s main objective is to facilitate connectivity. We are thus...Dagupan ICT Potential Gets A Boost
By. JB Sigue Dagupan, from the word “nandarugapan” or a place where people meet, the trading center of Northern Luzon, now gets a boost as it joins the ranks of information and communications technology (ICT) hubs in the country. Compos Mentis President Jonathan De Luzurriaga formally turned over a printed copy of the Dagupan City ICT-BPM Roadmap to Dagupan Mayor Belen Fernandez and Wilson Manalo, vice president of the Dagupan ICT Council, last Friday, July 22, in the presence of all the local stakeholders. De Luzurriaga, who is also currently the president of the Philippine Software Industry Association (PSIA) led stakeholders in a comprehensive study of Dagupan’s potential, strengths, areas for improvement and corresponding relative to its goal to generate ICT-enabled jobs and investments. Early this year, Dagupan emerged as one of Top 10 Next Wave Cities in ICT-BP! in the Philippines as ranked by the Information Technology Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) and the ICT Office (ICTO) of the Department of Science and Technology, which is not currently a separate department, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT). Fernandez, presenting the vision of the city, assured everyone that Dagupan will worked immediately on addressing the concerns and implementing the strategies found in the roadmap, especially on the aspect of creating a information technology (IT) zone, and support facilities, developing talent, and ensuring full government support to the Dagupan ICT Council. She called on all sectors to support the roadmap, and encourage them to “re-write” the history of Dagupan, by not only being the Bangus (milkfish) Capital of the Philippines but also an ICT-BPM Hub of...Local News/ Bohol Balita
FIX
Talking about relentless tourism promotion for Bohol, nobody beats us. For years now, Bohol’s presence in Travel Marts and product fairs relating to tourism has been so far excellent. Our tourism product development has never been short of spectacular and the choreographed partnership between the public and the private sector is unparalleled as yet. Until the last Travel Mart. From keeping and wearing the crown, the seal and the belt as the country’s best tourism destination, this year proved to be a failure for Bohol. No, not that our losing to South Cotabato in the Travel Mart’s recent Best Booth competition is already a portent of the lost tourism revenues. The contest, which was based on the visual presentation as much as the number of visits that one booth or pavilion gets from fair visitors, Bohol only mustered enough to stay next to someplace else. If looks were the mere barometer, Bohol pavilion could fare very well, compared to the winner who allegedly spent over P2 million for their product showcase at the fair. But even then, why had the contender amassed that much visitors compared to Bohol? On this, our sources came up with two theories: Bohol has not worked hard to make its new products just as interesting as its main destinations. And two, tourists have had so much of Bohol to seek the new thrill elsewhere. On theory number 1, we believe it is, on the very least unfair to JICA and the Bohol Ecotourism Council who has wrapped 60 new packages. On number 2, that could well be the reason. A Department of Tourism data...BDPME eyes 20,000 liters caramilk production in ’20
TAGBILARAN CITY, Sept 14 (PIA)–From 120,000 liters produced in 2015, Bohol Dairy Processing and Marketing Enterprise (BDPME) taps a P9,227,528.64 loan and equity from local sources to hit close to 200,000 liters of carabao milk in 2020, which will mean between 5-7% annual increase of family incomes from this year onwards. With a loan from the World Bank at P4.470 million and both P1.490 million from the government of the Philippines, the Provincial Government and another P1.777 million equity, the Bohol Dairy Processing and Marketing Enterprise enhances the present enterprise in Bohol already set up in the National Dairy Farm Complex in Lomangog, Ubay, Bohol. Still picking up what can be salvaged from the fire that razed its assets and freak accidents that caused substantial losses in capital and manpower, the new pitch relies on the Bohol Dairy Producers Association (Bohol Dairy), according to project brief provided by the World Bank Implementation Support Mission now gathered in Bohol until Wednesday. The marketing enterprise will do this ambitious plan by procuring raw milk products for the 23 identified clusters to 27 after 4 years, involving some 504 farmer dairy carabao growers to a projected 2424 farmers in 2020. The plan also intends to expand to other farmers and increase farm animal holding capacity for maximized dairy production. Now helping farmers set up milk production in 35 barangays in Ubay, Mabini, ALicia, Dagohoy and San Miguel, BDPME aspires from the stock infusion from the nearby Philippine Carabao Center (PCC). Resting inside the PCC, the dairy processing plant also proposed to ask the PCC to...PRDP paves 17.81 kms farm roads, spur agri-development
TAGBILARAN CITY, Sept 14 (PIA)–Crucial roads that could spur agricultural development in otherwise impenetrable idle areas, reduce hauling costs, cut travel time for basic services and local commute as well as expand employment opportunities: these are but some of the benefits as the government partners with the World Bank (WB) to sets up in Bohol a total of 17.81 kilometers of key farm to market roads. The total farm access roads development is from four areas which the World Bank partnership with the government of the Philippines and the local government units agreed to fund under the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP). Benefitting from the DA PRDP Intensified Building Up of Infrastructure and Logistics for Development (I-BUILD) are the rehabilitation of the 5.9838 kilometers of San Agustin-Canmaya Diot Farm to Market Road (FMR) in Sagbayan, 5.5 kilometers of Alegria-Bugho FMR in Loboc, the 3.54 kilometers Ba-ang-Mahayag Norte FMR in Catigbian and the 2.84 kilometers Del Carmen Weste-Tugbas FMR in Balilihan town. And all the rehabilitated FMRs now sport the all weather Portland Concrete Cement Pavement, road shoulders, box culverts, cross drains and lined canals for better The FMR rehab projects cut an average of 51% of travel time in those mentioned areas, cuts 47% of hauling costs for inputs and farm produce, allows the entry of 70% more transport players, develops over 300 more hectares of cogonal lands, increases land valuation and spurs employment opportunities as well as allows easier access of government basic services, according to project proponents. Developing, upgrading and rehabilitating these named areas cost P...Bohol Province Hosts Negosyo Center
The provincial government of Bohol under the leadership of Gov. Edgar Chatto hosts the 2nd Negosyo Center in the province which was formally opened on September 4, 2015 with Sen. Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino as guest speaker during the opening ceremonies. The Negosyo Center is located within the Bohol Investment Promotions Center office at the back of the capitol building. BIPC Head Ms. Inday Dominise along with DTI officials, Gov. Chatto, Mayor John Geesnell “Baba” Yap and various other government officials participated in the blessing ceremonies of the new center. They then proceeded to the Governor’s Mansion for the opening program. Gov. Chatto lobbied for the realization of the Negosyo Center within the provincial capitol building as this is expected to help ease business registrations due to the Bohol One Stop Shop facility at BIPC. It is also expected to help startups and existing businesses to network with suppliers and buyers as well as financial institutions to help with raising capital. Dominise said that in the coming months, the Negosyo Center will be the venue for various training sessions open to all business owners who are...DOST-ICTO Conducts Home Based Outsourcing Workshop
The Department of Science and Technology – Information and Communication Technology Office (DOST-ICTO) will conduct a Home Based Outsourcing workshop on September 23, 2015 at 1:00pm to 5:00pm at the Bohol Cultural Center. Registration is free and open to anyone interested to learn about how to engage in outsourcing jobs. The workshop is co-organized by Upwork, a freelance jobs portal and Online Jobs University. Interested participants are encouraged to pre-register at the Negosyo Center of the Bohol Province (Bohol Investment Promotions Center) or through the Bohol ICT Council Facebook...National News
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