Patio Milagros Minitel and Resort, Dimasalang, Masbate
January 9, 2019
To intensify the promotion of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), President Rodrigo Roa Duterte led the ceremonial awarding of livelihood seedling kits and cash loans to start-up entrepreneurs under the program ‘Negosyo Serbisyo sa Barangay’ at the Patio Milagros Minitel and Resort in Dimasalang, Masbate.
In his opening remarks, President Duterte emphasized the importance of middle-income families in creating a stable economy for the country.
“You have to raise a new level of middle-income families. We might really be treading into an experiment. It might be a vain attempt sa ating gobyerno but gusto lang namin subukan,” the President said.
“Ang piso mo, ang balor niyan is the economic stability of your country. Pagka-mataas ang stability, maraming negosyo, maraming kumikita and almost everybody are employed, self-employed or employed ng malalaking kumpanya but the place is parang makina, umaandar, sigurado ‘yan,” he added.
The ‘Negosyo Serbisyo sa Barangay’ is a program created to replace the ‘5-6’ system and to alleviate poverty by micro-financing small time businesses, as well as providing seminars and trainings to enable them to become competent entrepreneurs.
A total of 165 entrepreneurs, mostly sari-sari store owners, received livelihood seedling kits worth PhP10,000 of groceries. Likewise, 10 beneficiaries from the ‘Pondo sa Pagbabago at Pag-asenso’ (P3) received cash loans of up to PhP200,000 as a means to provide them stability in their business ventures.
According to Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez, 1049 Negosyo Centers are already established across the country, of which 892 were built under President Duterte’s administration.
The Philippines’ business sector experienced massive increase in investments, setting a record-breaking PhP915 billion in investments — 47% higher than the ones generated in 2017.
Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Acting Secretary Eliseo Rio and local government officials from Masbate were also present in the program.
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