THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is gearing up to hasten the provision of assistance to Western Visayans through its Livelihood Seeding Program-Negosyo Serbisyo sa Barangay (LSP-NSB) funded with P18.049 million this year.
“LSP-NSB is a response of DTI to provide means of livelihood and getting income while we are battling with the pandemic. It is a small assistance for livelihood. Actually, we don’t give cash. These are livelihood kits depending on their need,” said DTI-6 director Rebecca Rascon.
Rascon said there has been a delay in their release of kits due to changes in the quarantine classifications of provinces.
She said this year, they have identified 328 barangays as recipients of the program’s 1,640 livelihood kits.
“This is not for everyone. We chose those with individual businesses that we would like to avail of the program,” Rascon said.
The assistance includes packages for sari-sari store, food processing, bigasan, carinderia, manicure/pedicure and beauty parlor, among others.
Rascon said as of Sept. 7, they have disbursed 43 percent of their total fund.
She said as of end-August, they have assisted 2,928 micro, small and medium enterprises through their other packages of assistance other than the livelihood kits.
“Our assistance does not end with the provision of livelihood kits. If there is no pandemic, we also give orientation and entrepreneurial training,” Rascon said.
Also, if entrepreneurs need further assistance such as packaging of products, then the next step is to provide them with help through business counselors in the Negosyo Centers in municipalities where these are located, she said.
Rascon also noted they have almost the same amount of funds for next year’s program, but it will benefit a different set of recipients.(PNA)
