DTI Eastern Visayas launches 43 business centers

TACLOBAN CITY, Oct. 31 (PNA) -- The national government has already launched 43 negosyo centers in the past two years in a bid to ease doing business and facilitate access to services for micro small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

Since June 2015, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) led the opening of 20 centers in Leyte province; six in Samar; five in Eastern Samar; and four each in Biliran, Northern Samar, and Southern Leyte provinces.

The DTI launched the first Negosyo Center in Eastern Visayas in Carigara, Leyte on June 22, 2015.

 The latest is inside the campus of the Eastern Visayas State University (EVSU) in Tacloban City that opened on Oct. 28.

“This is not just a DTI project because a negosyo center has lifeline with different national government agencies. In real sense, it is bringing government services closer to MSMEs,” said DTI Regional Director Cynthia Nierras.

The DTI vowed to continue opening more centers in the future, but it will mainly depend on the availability of funds and support of local government units.

Setting up of business centers is in compliance to Republic Act No. 10644 or the Go Negosyo Act.
 The law seeks to strengthen micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to create more job opportunities in the country.

The centers are responsible for promoting “ease of doing business and facilitating access to services for MSMEs within its jurisdiction” such as business registration assistance, business advisory 

services, business information and advocacy, and monitoring and evaluation.

The MSME Development Council through the DTI is the coordinating and supervising body for all the agencies involved in the establishment and operation of the Negosyo Centers. It performs oversight functions and assigns personnel to fulfill the functions of the center. (PNA)
JMC/SARWELL Q. MENIANO