By: Emme Rose Santiagudo
THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Iloilo province has started efforts to capacitate small businesses and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the countryside by bringing its programs to the barangays in Iloilo.
Through its “Negosyo Serbisyo sa Barangay”, DTI-Iloilo has visited 78 barangays in the five districts of Iloilo, reaching about 8,714 participants as of October 15, 2019.
Mutya Eusores, senior trade and industry development specialist DTI-Iloilo, said the main goal of the program is to cultivate the level of awareness among the residents by introducing them to some DTI programs and services.
“We brought teams from the industry development division and the consumer protection division and we present to the public the programs and the services of the department, as well as the fair-trade laws and advocacies of the consumer protection division,” Eusores said
During some of their sessions, Eusores said they involved local government units (LGUs) from the municipal level to the barangay level to discuss LGU business permitting and business-related registration.
“Actually, immediate naton nakita ang result and that is awareness especially sa DTI. Awareness ang gusto naton ibuild sa ila,” she added.
Aside from cultivating the sense of awareness among barangays, Eusores said that they were able to discover some potential and aspiring entrepreneurs during their visits.
“Ang ila products may potential but wala sila idea where to consult for help for mentoring or coaching. Since it is the first engagement of DTI sa publiko sa SMEs and even sa potential entrepreneurs at least they were made aware where to go indi lang sa DTI office but sa pinakalapit na Negosyo Centers sa ila,” she said.
According to Eusores, home-based trading and sari-sari stores are evident in some of the barangays that they visited.
However, she pointed out that the challenge is really how to change the mindset of the micro-businesses and SMEs.
“What they need is to change their mindset na dapat ang business is supposed to be sustainable and may path of growth siguro on their part is on a daily basis lang siyaang income but not so much nga igrow amo na it’s also a challenge sa DTI how to level them off,” she said.
To date, “Negosyo Serbisyo sa Barangay” has reached out to municipalities in the first district like Tubungan and Guimbal; Zarraga, San Miguel and New Lucena in the second district; and Badiangan, Mina, Bingawan, in the third district.
In the fourth district, the program reached the barangays of Banate, Anilao, and Dueñas; and the municipalities of Balasan, Batad, Lemery, San Dionisio, and San Rafael in the fifth district.
By the end of October, DTI-Iloilo targets to reach 87 villages.
“As promised, we will create an entrepreneurial revolution in the countryside; we were able to touch base with more than 8,000 participants. Since, they know there are existing Negosyo Centers in Iloilo province-wide the SMEs will be further developed and we hope to establish other Negosyo Centers soon,” Assistant Regional Director and Concurrent Provincial Director of DTI-Iloilo, Ermelinda Pollentes said.
After reaching out to the barangays through the “Negosyo Serbisyo sa Barangay” program, Eusores said SMEs and potential micro-entrepreneurs were encouraged to go the nearest Negosyo Centers in their area to process their business names.
Moreover, business counselors of DTI will also go back to the barangays with potential SMEs to give mentorship and coaching services, she added.
”After meeting these SMEs, our business counsellors have to go back to them to further give services, mentor and coach them in areas of entrepreneurship nga pwede pa maimprove sa ila and to introduce them also to succeeding programs activities of DTI and even other partners nga gahatag sang technical assistance sa aton SMEs,” Eusores noted.
