The Department of Trade and Industry – Negros Occidental Office launched recently in Murcia the 29th Go Negosyo Center in the province, with the remaining four towns of Ilog, Candoni, Don Salvador Benedicto and Moises Padilla eyed to establish their respective Negosyo centers before the year ends.
The center will be located at second floor of the Murcia Tinabuay Public Market.
“Your presence here means a lot to our businessmen, especially to our small entrepreneurs. When they need to register or renew their business names and permits with DTI, they don’t have to go to Bacolod anymore because there is already a DTI Negosyo Center here in Murcia,” said Murcia Mayor Gerry M. Rojas.
The mayor expressed expectations that, thru the Negosyo Center, DTI can introduce new businesses to medium-sized entrepreneurs, as well as assist micro and small entrepreneurs on how to grow their businesses.
Engr. Engiemar Tupas, DTI-Negros Occidental Go Negosyo focal person, disclosed that Republic Act No. 10644, or the Go Negosyo Act, mandates that every local government unit must have a Go Negosyo Center.
The establishment of Negosyo Centers is a nationwide program of the DTI, in coordination with the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship, headed by Presidential Assistant for Entrepreneurship Sec. Joey Concepcion.
“The Go Negosyo Center will be the face of DTI in every town and city in the country. Basically, whatever are the functions of the DTI office in Bacolod, these will also be the functions of the Go Negosyo Center here,” Tupas said.
“A DTI staff will man the center to facilitate business name registration and conduct skills trainings and entrepreneurial seminars because we want to create enterprises in the country side. By generating more enterprises, eventually we can generate more employment for more people,” he added.
Moreover, the Negosyo Center staff is also trained to handle investment promotions, so that he will know how to assist the investors and orient them on applicable business laws and regulations. He will also monitor prices of basic goods to avoid overpricing and hoarding of supplies, especially in this time of pandemic.
In a message delivered by Tupas, DTI – Region VI Director Rebecca Rascon congratulated Mayor Rojas for partnering with DTI in establishing a Negosyo Center in Murcia, and she assured the mayor of DTI’s support to the industries in the town.
“DTI provides the structure thru which convergence could take place and bring about fruitful discussions and desirable results. This is the role of the Negosyo Center, the face of DTI working with you to bring the services of the government closer to the public is serves,” Rascon stated.
She pointed out that, thru its skills trainings and assistance to the broom-making production in Brgy. San Miguel, DTI has given employment opportunities to the residents.
Through DTI’s assistance to the coffee producers, the Sugar Valley Coffee in Brgy, Minoyan was graded as “fine” in Robusta category in the Philippine Coffee Quality Competition, Rascon added.
The regional director further explained that DTI offers Bayanihan CARES Program, or COVID Assistance to Restart Enterprises, which facilitates interest-free and collateral-free loans for small businesses. Additionally, DTI has a financing program for OFWs and youth who wish to start a business, as well as trainings and assistance to PWDs and agrarian reform beneficiaries who want to engage in a small business.*
