DTI vows better market for MSMEs in Mindanao

By LITO RULONA,
Correspondent

THE Department of Trade and Industry – 10 (DTI-10) regional director Linda Boniao has assured public especially micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) that they would provide better market access to all who avail the Go Negosyo program of the government.

Boniao said they had already started in Cagayan de oro and Lanao del Norte particularly in the municipalities of Kapatagan and Lala to provide better market access for MSMEs by mainstreaming their products in commercial establishments, particularly those from the agriculture sector and other main sector in the community.

“We graduated 20 MSMEs in Cagayan de Oro and 16 in Lanao del Norte. By 2017, it would be in Bukidnon, Iligan City and Misamis Occidental. Instead of purely from DTI, we are in partnership with Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship. May bago doon in mentor me which a real negosyante will mentor them,” she said.

She said they are now encouraging neophyte business people to join the program so that they would be mentored on their approached and market accessibility which leads government efforts to continue beat poverty in the country anew.

Boniao said those who still needs to avail the program would just visit their Go Negosyo centers in every locality and applied for “Mentor Me” program in order to move forward in business achievements.

“Our call for today, to celebrate inclusive business, is to provide continuous market access for the products of MSMEs, especially in the agriculture and the indigenous people sector in the hinterland areas,” she said.

To usher this initiative, DTI tapped mall chains to provide commercial spaces, where MSME products from around the country can be purchased by mall-goers.

She said no less than Secretary Ramon Lopez officially announced that in DTI, they commit to mainstream the products of MSMEs, we‘ve had the cooperation of SM, Ayala, Robinson’s, Rustan’s, City Mall, Star Mall and even Puregold, and many retailers to allocate a specific place in their malls for free to mainstream and made available the products of our MSMEs.

“We started already in Bukidnon for IPs with trainings in Kalabugao plains in the food processing and abaca waving. We offer more training specially in native products and to preserved their culture,” she added.

Boniao said they still on the process of introducing more trainings because she admitted that IPs still lacks on skills on Bukidnon and Malasag in Cagayan de Oro.

“We cannot do it overnight. We need a continuous process for them and help them to market their products,” she claimed.

Other IPs like in Misamis Occidental is also introduced in rubber tapping industry. DTI introduced rubber sheets to provide them improved their rubber products.

“Our expectations for them are in claiming more money as income for their own products as part of the poverty alleviation. Most in the lower level are members of the IPs. Previously they were in Kaingin-burning of forest areas and we need to prevent that,” she said.