ISABELA –- The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) opened Negros Occidental’s 16th Negosyo Center in this southern town to boost its agricultural production, mainly on bamboo.
Mayor Joselito Malabor, who led the opening rites at the Municipal Hall yesterday, said the local government has been initiating measures to develop its bamboo industry.
Malabor said that in terms of plantation, those of bamboo is the second largest in the town, next to sugarcane.
Given its abundant supply of raw materials, the town has made engineered bamboo as its one-town, one-product (Otop).
In fact, some of the town’s bamboo-made furniture are being displayed and sold at a mall in Bacolod City.
Malabor said they recognized the need for more technologies and skills development interventions to further improve the products.
“Through the Negosyo Center, we hope to address these needs to enable local bamboo farmer-producers to fully maximize their potentials in producing competitive products,” the mayor said, adding that “once further developed, we can be able to explore bigger markets.”
Based on the study and business plan initiated by the Municipal Government, one potential market for bamboo which they are eyeing to fully saturate are schools in the locality.
Under Executive Order 879 Series of 2010, all public elementary and secondary schools are required to use bamboo by at least 25 percent of the desk and other furniture requirements.
Malabor said they are optimistic that the need for more trainings and capacity enhancement for farmers to attract other potential investors will be addressed by the Negosyo Center.
“With this center, we also hope to create more enterprises as permitting system is now more efficient plus the opportunity for growth is bigger," he added.
The Negosyo Center lodged at the Municipal Hall is the last to be opened in the province this year.
The Municipal Government provided the area and structure while the DTI took charge of the refurbishing, basic equipment, and training component.
The establishment of Negosyo Centers is provided under the Republic Act 10644, or the Go Negosyo Act.
It provides micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) the ease of doing business, and facilitates access to grants and other forms of financial assistance, and shared service facilities (SSF), among others.
The law aims to ensure management guidance, assistance and improvement of the working conditions of enterprises, and facilitate market access and linkaging services for entrepreneurs.
DTI-Negros Occidental Provincial Director Lea Gonzales, who was present at the unveiling rites, said the facility will help boost Isabela’s bamboo industry mainly through the provision of product development activities and marketing support.
“Since bamboo is one of our priority-commodities, we will also link the town with other development programs of the agency aside from those of Negosyo Center,” Gonzales said.
Aside from entrepreneurship development interventions including trainings and seminars, the Negosyo Center will also provide business name registration service to MSMEs at the town.
Entrepreneurs will no longer go to Bacolod City to process the registration of their businesses, Gonzales added.
The local government assured bamboo farmers of infrastructure support like development of auction and “bagsakan” markets to consolidate the products from different farms.
For this year, seven other Negosyo Centers were opened in the province, including those in Hinoba-an, La Castellana, Cauayan, E.B. Magalona, Himamaylan, Bago City, and Sipalay City.
In 2016, the eighth Negosyo Center in the province was unveiled in Hinigaran town. Others that opened last year are those in the cities of Bacolod, San Carlos, Victorias, and La Carlota.
The Negros First Negosyo Center at the Provincial Capitol Complex in Bacolod City was opened in 2015 along with those in the cities of Kabankalan and Sagay.
