PILA, LAGUNA — The Laguna Provincial Office of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), in partnership with National Irrigation Administration (NIA), Laguna-Rizal Irrigation Management Office, begin to conduct joint seminar-workshops for farmers this February, at NIA Training Center, Barangay Santa Clara Sur, Pila, Laguna.

NIA Division Manager Engr. Armado Flores says the tie-up with DTI aims to encourage farmers to do business thru entrepreneurial skills development.

Likewise, DTI Laguna Provincial Director, Officer-in-Charge Christian Ted Tungohan, also expresses support and excitement with the possibility of new breed agri-preneurs after the 3-day training program.

The training program will run until April 2023 catering farmers from Santa Cruz, San Pablo and Calauan. Farmers are grouped according to town and are set to attend three similar sessions on different schedules.

First of the aforementioned sessions is a seminar entitled “Planting Business: Seminar for Start-Ups”, where DTI Laguna Negosyo Center Business Counselors discuss basic topics on Entrepreneurial Mindsetting, Business Ideas and Business Licensing.

The DTI financing arm, SB Corporation, also presents its funding programs for micro-entrepreneurs such as the RISE UP Loan Program for first-time borrowers.

At the end of the first session last 23 February 2023, a total of forty-four (44) participating Santa Cruz, Laguna farmers, successfully prepared and submitted their initial business plan.

The next two sessions are scheduled on March 2 and 9 covering lessons on Financial Planning and Marketing, respectively. ♦

Date of Release: 3 March 2023