DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 20 Apr) – The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) 11 will stage a three-day service caravan here that will gather under one roof the agency’s services and even that of allied government offices’ in a bid to help develop the micro, small, and medium enterprises.
Speaking in Monday’s Kapehan sa Dabaw at SM City, DTI 11 director Maria Belenda Ambi said that they are expecting consumer groups, local government units (LGUs), City and Municipal Economic and Investment Offices, MSMEs and Negosyo Centers’ councilors to participate in the event from April 25 to 27.
The service caravan, dubbed as “1st DTI Negosyo, Konsyumer, ATBP,” will open at the SMX Convention Center. Opening at the same time is a trade fair or info services caravan at the SM Lanang Activity Center.
The city will host the maiden event but it will be rolled out in other parts of the country within the year.
There will also be breakout sessions within the three-day event such as seminar on intellectual property rights and occupational safety and health course for site officers in construction industry on the first day.
On the second day, April 26, among the activities will include consumers’ forum and seminar on product standards. There will be investment briefing for global market and food safety training for MSMEs on the third day.
Around 1,000 existing and potential entrepreneurs, exporters, industry associations, LGUs, government financial institutions, non-government agencies, and members of the academe will take part in the event,
“The concept of DTI service caravan is that we would like to bring the services of DTI and involve other bureaus and central offices together with the regional and provincial offices of DTI,” Ambi said.
The event will provide existing MSMEs and those planning to embark on entrepreneurship what policies and regulations have to be followed and information to access financing support from the Small Business Corporation (SBC) and other private financial institutions.
Ambi emphasized the need to stage a service caravan because the MSMEs need support for development, most especially those who are into the production of cacao, coffee, coconut, gifts and housewares, and processed foods.
Citing report from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), she said the MSMEs in the region almost reached 50,000, mostly from the Davao City.
Ambi added that the agency’s support is centered on micro entrepreneurs’ development, or those with P3 million and below capitalization.
She said they need support in terms of capital, marketing, and product development, which helps them improve their products and make them more saleable to the local market with backing from the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).
The DTI beneficiaries also get to participate in the trade fairs for product exposure.
Representatives from the Bureau of Product Standards, Bureau of Small and Medium Enterprise Development, Bureau of Domestic Trade Promotion, Design Center of the Philippines, Competitiveness Bureau, and Board of Investments will participate in the caravan.
“There will be service exhibit booths where they can get basic information on financing and product development, even if they don’t get to attend the seminars,” she said.
