Zamboanga City—DTI-Region 9 OIC-Regional Director Ceferino J. Rubio gladly disclosed earlier this week that Livelihood Seeding Program – Negosyo sa Barangay (LSP-NSB) allotted funding for the LSP-NSB amounts to PhP203 million, which will be used to provide a package of livelihood kits and business advisory assistance and services, amounting to at least PhP5,000 up to PhP8,000 to MSMEs affected by natural and human-induced calamities including health disasters. The LSP-NSB Guidelines was revised to align and make it more responsive to the government directives on the COVID-19 situation. The coverage of the program was expanded to give priority assistance to MSMEs affected by health disasters arising from epidemics and pandemics.
Rubio added that the DTI LSP-NSB has various areas of cooperation and these include: a.) Improved Business Climate which capacitates barangay officials in facilitating business clearances; b.) Improved Access to Finance which orients the barangay officials with various existing financial services; c.) Enhanced Management and Labor Capacities which helps identify building needs of both entrepreneurs and workers; d.) Improved Access to Technology and Innovation which identifies and invite enablers on product development programs and technology transfer programs; e.) Improved Access to Market which facilitates participation of MSMEs to trade and online market places. Apart from these areas of cooperation between DTI and the barangay, Negosyo sa Barangay (NSB) proposed activities include: a.) High-Cost Activities which create NSB Office and shall serve as extension of Negosyo Centers, provision of MSME Livelihood Kit amounting to P5,000 to P 8,000.00 to eligible beneficiaries after participation in entrepreneurship sessions and submission of documents; b.) Minimum Cost Activities which create NSB Desk in the Barangay Town’s Hall that shall operate at least once a week and c.) Low Cost Activities which provides advocacy briefing session on MSMEs programs and services for at least 100 participants during the program launch and facilitation of applications for putting up a business.
Rubio further stressed that LSP-NSB Program aims to cover barangays and benefit MSMEs with these timelines: 2020- 5,493 barangays and 30,000 MSMEs; 2021- 8,240 barangays with 60,000 MSMEs; and 2022- 10,986 barangays with 100,000 MSMEs. Apart from DTI, various organizations/agencies will also be tapped for the provision of technical expertise and may serve as resource persons in the delivery of services under the NSB Program. These are Department of Science and Technology (DOST, Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), University of the Philippines-Institute for Small Scale Industries (UP-ISSI), Cooperative Development Authority (CDA), and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).
ARD Al-Zamir I. Lipae also urges all interested MSMEs to visit the nearest Negosyo Center or DTI Provincial Office in their area to be able to inquire and avail the agency’s LSP-NSB.♦
Fore more information about LSP-NSB, visit this link.
Date of Release: 9 June 2020