CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga – A total of three partner cooperators in Pampanga received equipment and machinery from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) under its Shared Service Facility (SSF) program.
Recipients include Don Honorio Ventura State University for a P10.34-million fabrication laboratory equipment; DOMALOUIS Farmers Association, Inc. for P220,000 worth of water hyacinth and seagrass production, weaving, and processing equipment; and Kabuhayan ng mga Kabarangay Tungo sa Tagumpay for P220,000 worth of handicrafts production and processing machines.
During the turn-over ceremony, DTI Regional Director Edna Dizon congratulated the cooperators for successfully managing their respective SSF projects.
“With our [DTI] secretary moving towards growing our MSMEs [micro, small, and medium enterprises], we wish you the best in the management of all SSFs. It is now time to donate the ownership to you. SSF is paying attention to improve the production efficiency of our SMEs and at the same time level up the products so that they can be marketed not only locally, but even abroad,” she said.
With this, Dizon sought the commitment of the cooperators to grow their projects by moving for innovation and sustainability; to identify more innovations; and to develop more products.
For her part, DTI Provincial Director Elenita Ordonio assured the beneficiaries that the agency will continue to look after them even after the turnover of the facilities.
“We have an usufruct agreement with the cooperators to monitor if the equipment is still being used properly, if they generated additional employment, and if they have increased sales for us to donate the equipment to them. But it doesn’t end there. After the turnover, we will monitor you to ensure that the objective of the program is fulfilled and if the equipment is used for their intended purpose,” she said.
Among the assistance they will be provided, she said, include consultation, market matching, and trade fair participation.
Ordonio also urged the cooperators to report issues and concerns regarding the operation of the facility so the DTI can monitor them and provide the necessary interventions.
“We also want them to maintain their greening program to protect the environment. We are also promoting the concept of green economic development for sustainability,” she added.
Meanwhile, she also called on existing and prospective entrepreneurs to avail of the different services of the agency such as training and capacity building, as well as various programs relating to business development.
To date, Pampanga has 52 SSFs with a total value of more than P100 million. Of the total number, 41 have been turned over; while DTI is maintaining 11.
In addition, 100 percent of these SSFs are operational. (CLJD/MJSC-PIA 3, Pampanga)