As part of the Trabaho, Negosyo agenda of the administration, which puts center the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and job generation, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has set its sight on providing both for Filipinos.
This has become prevalent with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) reported the growing interest and enthusiasm of Filipinos in venturing into business as more and more entrepreneurs turn to Negosyo Centers for assistance for MSMEs and aspiring entrepreneurs.
In the 2017 Negosyo Center year-end performance monitoring report, a total of 614,417 entrepreneurs have been assisted by these centers—leapfrogging from the June 2017 performance report of 595,573 clients assisted since the inception of Negosyo Centers in 2014.
DTI Regional Operations Group (DTI-ROG) Undersecretary Zenaida Maglaya stressed that the huge surge of entrepreneurs assisted was due to the government’s support for MSMEs and the advancing of MSMEs as economic movers of the country.
“2017 has been the year for Filipino MSMEs as the country hosted the ASEAN. With ASEAN, MSMEs were given the much needed attention in order to advance the country’s economic agenda,” Maglaya said.
With more MSMEs turning to Negosyo Center for assistance, Maglaya attributed the entrepreneurship surge to the agency’s continuing drive to introduce entrepreneurship as a steady source of income, while also recognizing the agency’s partnerships with other national government agencies, and non-government organizations (NGOs), local government units, and big corporations.
“We’re very grateful to Filipinos that they realize the huge help they get from entrepreneurship and how business contributes to society by providing employment and lifting the economy,” Maglaya said.
Philippine MSMEs account for 99.5% of the total number of established businesses and employ 62.8% of the country’s workforce, contributing substantially to the country’s manufacturing output and total employment, making it critical engines of economic growth and development.
To encourage aspiring entrepreneurs, Negosyo Centers have also conducted 11,043 skills, managerial and entrepreneurship training programs, the report showed.
Maglaya explained that Negosyo Centers are very effective in reaching out Filipinos in the countryside with DTI tallying a total of 718 centers throughout the country.
Under the current administration, a total of 343 Negosyo Centers were established, she added.
The Republic Act No. 10644 or the Go Negosyo Act aims to help micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), promote ease of doing business, facilitate access to grants and other forms of financial assistance, Shared Service Facilities (SSF) and other equipment, and other support for MSMEs through national government agencies (NGAs), ensure management guidance, assistance and improvement of the working conditions of MSMEs; and facilitate market access and linkaging services for entrepreneurs.
