TANDAG CITY, CARAGA – To aid micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) affected by typhoon Auring in Surigao del Sur, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) regional office here distributed 195 livelihood starter kits, 5 March.

Amounting to a total of P994.5K, said livelihood kits are forms of assistance to help the MSMEs recover under the Department’s livelihood seeding programs Negosyo Serbisyo sa Barangay (LSP-NSB) and Pangkabuhayan sa Pagbangon at Ginhawa (PPG).

Both programs aim to help MSMEs affected by natural and man-made calamities restore and improve their businesses.

One hundred and ninety-five MSMEs in Surigao del Sur that have been affected by typhoon Auring received livelihood starter kits under DTI’s livelihood seeding programs.

In his message, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said that the Department made sure these micro and small enterprises are promptly assisted after the province was flooded, leaving most of these businesses closed.

“We understand the difficulty of our MSMEs after being hit by a typhoon while still trying to economically recover from the ill effects of the pandemic. It is in situations like this that we see the need to assist our small-time enterprises in the barangays,” Sec. Lopez added.

Sec. Lopez, who visited the affected areas in Surigao del Sur a day after Auring hit late February, said that he personally saw the need to assist the identified beneficiaries by providing them goods to restock their small stores.

CARAGA Regional Director Edwin Banquerigo said that as a part of the Department’s mandate to provide services to the business sectors is the bigger responsibility to empower the micro and small enterprises.

“This is the reason why we make our services more accessible by bringing them closer to our dear MSMEs in far-flung areas and in the barangays,” RD Banquerigo added.

Present during the distribution were Assistant Regional Director Gay Tidalgo, Provincial Director Romel Oribe and Tandag City Vice Mayor Eleonor Momo.

Aside from the provision of kits, DTI’s livelihood seeding programs also aim to increase awareness of the community on the services offered by the Negosyo Centers and conduct business development assistance and services.

“We are very much grateful to DTI for this assistance that will help us recover from the loss of our livelihood because of the typhoon. These kits will already be an aid in helping us stand again after the floods,” said sari-sari store owner Liezel Dua, one of the beneficiaries of the said programs. ♦

Date of Release: 10 March 2021

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