Mati City, Davao Oriental – The 14 associations in the province are the latest recipients of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Region 11’s livelihood kits.
Groups with 40 or more members were able to receive a business package worth PHP10,000, which totaled to a budget of PHP140,000.
During the awarding activity recently at Barangay Mamali in Mati City, 11 associations were given processed food livelihood kits, two with wearable and homestyle, and one with agriculture.
The Pangkabuhayan sa Pagbangon at Ginhawa (PPG) program is in line with the Department’s mandate to assist specifically eligible micro enterprises affected by fire incidents and other calamities ensuring the rebuilding of their businesses. This is in partnership with the local government units (LGUs), private organizations, and barangay offices, among others.
DTI-Davao Oriental chief for business development Sylvia R. Ordiz shared that as a legal basis, section 7 of the Republic Act No. 9501 or the Magna Carta for MSMEs stated that the MSME Development Council, chaired by the DTI Secretary, shall be the primary agency responsible for the growth and development of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the country. This will be done by facilitating and closely coordinating national efforts to promote the viability and growth of the sector.
Apart from providing them with something they can start up with, the office also conducted certain training activities, particularly those on entrepreneurial mind-setting and values formation, financial literacy, and pricing and costing.
Ordiz noted that the capacity-building interventions are geared towards helping the beneficiaries in managing their respective organizations.
She added that the kits provided were specifically requested by each of the beneficiary associations.
“We really want to be as responsive as we can to clients’ needs. This is the very reason why we did this initiative in such a way that we will give them what they exactly need,” she said.
She, however, challenged the beneficiaries to manage and take care of what was given to them, making it sustainable. She further said that the government can just do so much; hence, it is up to the associations to take responsibility for making the operation self-sustaining.
Since the beginning of the year, DTI 11, through its provincial offices, already released 1,514 livelihood kits to 99 barangays and conducted a total of 177 training interventions. These are equivalent to an aggregate amount of P31.654M. ♦
Date of Release: 15 August 2022