As of 3 January 2021, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Central Visayas has distributed P3.120-M worth of livelihood kits to 320 eligible micro entrepreneurs from the towns of Sibonga , Carcar, Dalaguete , Argao in Cebu; in the towns of Ubay, Bien Unido, San Miguel, Trinidad, Talibon, Carlos P. Garcia in neighboring Bohol; as well as La Libertad, Guihulngan City in Negros Oriental received P3.120-M worth of negosyo kits. The livelihood kits amounting to P8,000 for each micro-enterpreneur was given via the Landbank Cash Card.
The handing out of negosyo kits to qualified beneficiaries is under the DTI’s Livelihood Seeding Program – Negosyo Serbisyo sa Barangay (LSP-NSB).
DTI Central Visayas regional director Maria Elena Arbon, during the ceremonial handing over of negosyo kits to beneficiaries in Cebu on Thursday, said that the LSP-NSB is in partnership with local government units (LGUs) and allows a wider reach of business development assistance by bringing government services closer to the people. The latest program beneficiaries are those living in areas in Region 7 worst hit by typhoon Odette.
Arbon explained that these beneficiaries have passed an assessment to qualify for the program. She emphasized that these kits are meant to be used as new capital to aid these entrepreneurs in the recovery and improvement of their businesses. Micro-entrepreneurs that were recently given negosyo kits are sari-sari store owners, eateries / carinderia proprietors and processed food makers.
Aside from the provision of livelihood kits to qualified beneficiaries, Micro entrepreneurs can avail of different services such as facilitation of business name registration, business advisory, business information, and advocacy from the said program, Arbon said. LSP-NSB is meant to assist barangays particularly those in rural municipalities with livelihood kits, as well as business advisory assistance and services.
The program, originally called Negosyo Serbisyo sa Barangay Program, was initially launched by DTI in August 2019 to support and promote MSMEs and aspiring entrepreneurs in fourth to sixth-class cities and municipalities. But the program was reevaluated to adapt to the current situation, making LSP-NSB available to all municipalities, Arbon said. Considering the key role of MSMEs in job creation in the country, DTI remains firm in its commitment to assist and develop more entrepreneurs, Dir. Arbon underscored.
MSME beneficiaries of the LSP-NSB program includes sole proprietors, cooperatives, or sectoral associations that are located in identified barangays, including those in communist armed conflict affected areas and vulnerable communities such as the indigenous peoples (IPs), refugees or stateless persons also known as persons of concern.
Priority assistance shall be given to MSMEs affected by human induced and natural calamities including typhoon Odette, as well as health disasters arising from epidemics and pandemics. The LSP-NSB program is expected to provide more assistance nationwide to microenterprises affected by natural and human-induced calamities, including health disasters arising from pandemics. ♦
Date of Release: 3 January 2022