DAVAO CITY – The implementation of the Shared Service Facility (SSF) is dedicated to continuously aid in the development, design innovation, and overall competitiveness of the micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). Further, the program is seen to help them increase their productivity and maximize the marketability of their products.
Since the launch of its first project in June 2013, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) 11 has been consistently improving the productivity of 1,370 local entrepreneurs throughout the region, as of December 2022.
DTI 11 was given additional funds amounting to Php3 million for the capital outlay during the latter part of 2022, of which six projects have been approved.
These six projects are scheduled for launch this year. With this, two have already been formally launched in Davao de Oro on January 24, through the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) and Usufruct Agreement between DTI-Davao de Oro and the two SSF cooperators, the Callawan Farmers Multipurpose Cooperative (CALFAMCO) in New Bataan and Barangay Baylo CoCoPal Farmers Association (BABACOFA) in Monkayo. The former has received an additional set of machinery for garments production, while the latter’s equipment is for its cacao processing.
Meanwhile, the one project in Davao City will be launched in March. This is the One Town, One Product (OTOP) packaging and labeling facility with the Food Processing Innovation Center (FPIC) as the host of the service hub located within the vicinity of the Philippine Women’s College of Davao (PWC).
DTI 11 Regional Director Maria Belenda Q. Ambi said that the SSF team visited the facility on January 26 during the training for the equipment’s operation. This was conducted together with the machine operator and representatives from PWC and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).
“This facility is meant to address the MSMEs’ problem with poor packaging and labeling,” the regional trade chief explained.
The DTI officials, as well as the FPIC and PWC heads, are expected to gather for the launching and signing of agreements.
On the other hand, the three remaining projects to be launched this year are the addendum to the cacao processing projects of the Kapalong Cooperative and Sambayon Small Coconut Farmers Association in Davao del Norte, and the addendum to the garment enhancement project of Nagkahiusang Mananahi sa Camucaan Association (NMCA) in Davao del Sur.
“With all the successes achieved by the MSMEs in the region, we at DTI 11 are committed to assisting them. Thus, the SSF team is set to do periodic monitoring of the existing projects in Davao City and in the five provinces in February and March,” she said, adding that this measure is to evaluate project implementation including the development of their respective database, validate the cooperators’ reports, and monitor the facilities’ condition facilities to identify the potential problems so that appropriate actions may be undertaken immediately. ♦
Date of release: 21 February 2023