More SMEs receive help under DTI program

Small and medium enterprises in Zambales are the latest recipients of P2.9-million worth of equipment under the Department of Trade and Industry’s Shared Service Facilities program.

This development is expected to further improve the competitiveness of small businesses.

According to the Trade department, the shared service facilities were designed for vegetable noodles processing in Castillejos, sweet potato processing in San Felipe and Cabangan, pastillas processing in Palauig, and Tetrapak bags production in Olongapo City.

The DTI explained that, depending on the line of business, the facilities may be variously equipped with packaging machines, mechanical driers, industrial weighing scales, noodle making machinery, vegetable and meat slicers, metal craft machinery, milk extraction equipment, deep fat friers, stainless industrial tables, chillers and freezers.

The government’s P700-million SSF program is a strategic complementary project that is meant to promote inclusive growth by setting up common service facilities or production centers for certain processes to give micro, small and medium enterprises access to better technology and more sophisticated equipment to accelerate their bid for competitiveness.

Such facilities can be shared by beneficiaries, such as cooperatives, institutions and communities, to help them graduate to the next level where they can tap a better and wider market while being integrated in the global supply chain, the DTI further explained.

DTI Region 3 director Judith Angeles noted that the agency has already identified nine qualified cooperatives in the province that will benefit from the program.

The beneficiaries were determined according to experience, good track record, and legal personality.

Technical assistance will likewise be provided for beneficiaries, whose progress will be monitored by the Trade department.

According to the DTI, the SSF projects were met by the local communities with “excitement and enthusiasm” as the new facilities will enable cooperatives and MSMEs to increase productivity, attain efficiencies and, more importantly, produce value-added products that can boost entrepreneurs’ competitiveness.