The Department of Trade and Industry Region 1 joined the 11th Dagyaw Regional Townhall Meeting held at the Sision Auditorium, Lingayen, Pangasinan last August 22, 2019. Designed as a one-stop-shop of frontline government services, stakeholders from various sectors in the community attended the activity, around 80 of which were micro small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

DTI services such as Business Name Registration, Business Counselling and Consumer Education and Information were made available at the DTI Mobile Negosyo Center booth.

DTI Region 1 Director Grace Falgui-Baluyan presented the DTI programs for MSMEs. She highlighted the 7Ms to become a successful entrepreneur. During the Open Forum, she also answered issues and concerns raised by MSMEs such as FDA and Trade Fair assistance, BMBE registration and how to avail P3 loans and SSF Projects to name a few. She also emphasized that DTI is committed to assist would-be entrepreneurs and develop existing MSMEs especially those in the far-flung areas through the Negosyo Serbisyo sa Barangay Program.

Other pressing issues such as the TRAIN (Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion) law, “Build, Build, Build” program were also raised during the regional townhall meeting. Other government officials and representatives were also present during the activity: Department of Transportation (DOTr) OIC for Planning Service Enrico Ferrer, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Reg. Dir. James Fadrilan, Department of Finance Director III Euvimil Nina Asuncion, and Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Reg. 1 OIC-Dir. Estrella Mandap. ASec. Francisco R. Cruz of DILG served as keynote speaker during the event. In his speech, Asec Cruz reiterated that the DILG in partnership with other government agencies brings the Dagyaw forum with an aim to promote open governance.

Meanwhile, Pangasinan Governor Amado Espino III recognized the efforts of the national government to reach out at the local level to be able to improve public service.

Dagyaw is a Hiligaynon term meaning “Bayanihan” or “to be united”. Organized by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) with the support of the Presidential Communications and Operations Office, Dagyaw promotes and disseminates information on the open government and participatory governance initiatives of the Duterte administration.♦

Date of release: 4 September 2019