DUMAGUETE CITY – Mayor Iñigo Jabagat of Bindoy, Negros Oriental on Thursday urged micro businesses in his town to register with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and obtain permits and licenses to qualify for government aid.
Jabagat issued the call during Thursday’s distribution of livelihood kits to eight beneficiaries in Bindoy under the DTI’s Pangkabuhayan sa Pagbangon at Ginhawa (PPG), said Jade Bato, DTI-Negros Oriental spokesperson, in an interview with the Philippine News Agency.
Only eight beneficiaries from the recent flooding in Bindoy town qualified for the PPG and received PHP8,000 each to help them recover from their losses, she said.
She added that while many other small businesses were also affected by the flooding, they could not avail of the assistance since they were not registered with the DTI.
“This is one reason why registration is important. First, the town will benefit from income derived from fees from business permits. Second, it will make the businesses eligible for government programs and other assistance,” Jabagat explained.
Bato said the Bindoy beneficiaries were mostly engaged in the “sari-sari” or community store business.
Vivien Yap, one of the eight beneficiaries, thanked the government for the assistance.
“We are so grateful to the DTI for its PPG program. At the onslaught of Typhoon Odette, we were also given PPG assistance. And now, after the flooding, the DTI is giving us the same”.
DTI has an initial PHP600,000 for the PPG program, an emergency assistance program for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), Bato said.
The DTI-Negros Oriental has released livelihood kits to over 100 beneficiaries this year. (PNA)
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