ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews/25 November) – The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has released P2.7 million to provide a boost to six municipalities in the development and enhancement of their products and services.
The financial assistance was granted through DTI’s Grassroots Participatory Budgeting, formerly known as the Bottom-Up Budgeting, which is a key component of President Benigno Aquino III’s anti-poverty program.
Dr. Sitti Amina Jain, DTI OIC-regional director, said the six towns that received the financial assistance are Baliguian, Piñan, and Sindangan in Zamboanga del Norte; Kumalarang and Ramon Magsaysay in Zamboanga del Sur; and, Malangas in Zamboanga Sibugay.
Jain said the municipalities of Piñan and Sindangan received P130,000 each for their projects on Business Permit and Licensing System (BPLS).
“The two local government units of the said municipalities aim to speed up the processing of business permits and licenses to encourage more investors to pour in their capital in their areas,” she said.
Jain said Baliguian received P185,000 to promote its locally-produced wine called “pangasi,” through wine packaging and preservation training.
She said Kumalarang got P570,000 for the projects on mat weaving and handicraft production.
The official said Ramon Magsasay received a total of P1,282,500 for three projects broken down as follows: One Town-One Product (OTOP) store, P712,500; establishment of production shop for novelty items, P190,000; and bamboo craft development, P380,000.
She said Malangas received P425,000 for its livelihood training project on soap making and production with the DTI regional office as the project implementer.
In the meantime, Jain said proposals for the establishment of a P6-million bio-diesel processing plant for small coco farmers in Salug, Zamboanga del Norte and P1.8-million mini oil mill in Ramon Magsaysay were still awaiting approval from the DTI main office. (MindaNews)
