Afternoon chat with Marivic

I recently sat down to a “Zoom” conversation with Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Cebu SME Development Division Chief Marivic Aguilar.

What otherwise should have been a normal conversation between two long time friends, turned out to be a complicated affair involving tech glitches, internet outage, and human disturbances. Her humor certainly saved us from what otherwise would have been an embarrassing situation.

Initially, Marivic wanted me to edit a press release on Sugbo Negosyo written by someone else. Since I don’t know anything about the program, I asked her to talk more on the subject. There is an office policy in the department which discourages employees from talking face to face for an extended amount of time, so I came up with the idea of using the Zoom app for our chat. And because I wanted to get immediate publicity for the program, I thought of having our conversation streamed on Facebook live.

We did get the publicity for Sugbo Negosyo, including our conversation bloopers and faux pas. The edited press release was posted on the DTI official website as well as published in some media outlets. Recently, Marivic is slated for a proper (official) interview with the Philippine Information Agency7.

For those not in the know, Sugbo Negosyo is a livelihood assistance program of the Cebu Provincial Government, DTI and Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Marivic said that the Cebu Provincial Government allocated a hefty P100M budget for this program. She also mentioned that it was originally inspired by DTI’s Livelihood Seeding Program – Negosyo Serbisyo sa Barangay (LSP-NSB),

Beneficiaries chosen included those who can produce Cebuano products made of locally sourced materials and those who can ensure the most likelihood of success in his or her endeavor.

This is a significant development, according to Marivic, because SMEs have a crucial role in the Philippine economic recovery. SMEs comprise 99 percent of the business community, contributes 30 percent in the Philippine economy and employs over 62 percent in manpower. SMEs are also drivers of innovation as they try to become more competitive in a very challenging market, she underscored.

Marivic revealed that a total of 17,881 entrepreneurs applied for the program but only 8,253 qualified after a rigorous evaluation by the Provincial Board, DTI and MCCI.

Some 256 micro and small entrepreneurs qualified for category A or those established micro enterprises that need recovery assistance and enhancement. Category A got a budget of P12.8 million.

Category B, intended for new and existing micro-enterprise engaged in manufacturing or processing, got 556 beneficiaries and a budget amounting to P11.12 million.

Category C, for entrepreneurs engaged in trading or services, got 7,441 beneficiaries and a budget of P74.41 million.

I find Sugbo Negosyo program unique as it uses the digital coupon system to claim goods and materials instead of cash and a quick response (QR) code to ensure validity. 

Marivic thought so too since she mentioned that she favors the coupon idea because the business capital grant will be given in kind and not in cash to ensure that funds are used for its intended purpose.

COVID19 is not fading away anytime soon. So, I anticipate more Zoom conversations with Marivic as I inquire from her for updates. And with the unique predicament we are in, I look forward to m
ore of her offbeat humor. It certainly brightens my day.

Reigniting Cebu's Economy