In order to forge a wider base for a more resilient economy, the government through the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) handed livelihood kits and vouchers to qualified beneficiaries in five Bohol towns covering 480 beneficiaries from 99 barangays across 36 local government units (LGUs) in the island.
A team from DTI Bohol led by Provincial Director Maria Soledad Balistoy released P6,000 to beneficiaries in Balilihan, Clarin, Maribojoc, Antequera and San Isidro on July 9 and 10 as part of government assistance through the Negosyo Serbisyo sa Barangay-Livelihood Seeding Program (NSB-LSP) in order to stimulate more investment activities in the countryside amidst the pandemic.
The livelihood kits are DTI’s commitment to the Bayanihan To Heal As One Act through its NSB-LSP, according to Director Balistoy.
Around 25 beneficiaries received their kits in Clarin, 20 in Balilihan, 15 in Antequera, 15 in Maribojoc, and 10 beneficiaries in San Isidro in July this year.
“Our agency’s main aim here is to promote entrepreneurship and bridge the income inequality gaps in the peripheries,” Balistoy underscored.
The program, originally called Negosyo Serbisyo sa Barangay Program, was launched by DTI in August 2019 to support and promote MSMEs and aspiring entrepreneurs in fourth to sixth-class cities and municipalities.
The program was, however, reevaluated when the health crisis struck in 2020 to adapt to the current situation and align with the government’s Covid-19 response programs, making LSP-NSB available to all areas where help is needed, Balistoy said.
“The revised program allows a wider reach of business development assistance by bringing government services closer to the people through partnerships between local government units (LGUs) and DTI,” added Balistoy.
The DTI also partners with other national government agencies, academe, non-government organizations, private sector, and Negosyo Centers to promote ease of doing business and provide access to development services for MSMEs through business counselors in their areas of responsibilities.
Currently, most of DTI’s Negosyo Centers are housed at LGU-owned sites or buildings. “Thus, our business counselors work closely with LGUs in addressing the various concerns of MSMEs within their jurisdiction on various aspects of doing business,” Balistoy added.
“LSP-NSB is a response of DTI to provide beneficiaries with livelihood and income while the country is still battling the pandemic. These are livelihood kits; we don’t give cash,” DTI regional director Maria Elena Arbon emphasized.
Also, the Livelihood Seeding Program – Negosyo Serbisyo Sa Barangay (LSP-NSB) allows DTI to bring its business development assistance closer to the people through partnerships between relevant local government units and DTI.
Through Barangay Development Councils (BDCs), the DTI has been capacitating Barangay personnel to provide basic business advisory or information dissemination services to MSMEs in the locality.
The DTI, in partnership with the national government agencies, local government units, academe, non-government organizations, private sector, and through the Negosyo Centers has been promoting ease of doing business and providing access to development services for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) through Business Counselors in their area of responsibility.
MSME beneficiaries of the LSP-NSB Program include sole proprietors, cooperatives, or sectoral associations that are located in identified barangays, including those in Local Communist Armed Conflict (LCAC) affected areas and vulnerable communities such as the Indigenous Peoples (IPs), refugees or stateless persons also known as Persons of Concern (POCs . Priority assistance has been given to MSMEs affected by natural and human-induced calamities including health disasters arising from epidemics and pandemics.#
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