By Freddie Lazaro
LAOAG CITY – To institutionalize the immediate recovery for small businesses in Ilocos Norte, the provincial government has launched the “COVID-19 (coronavirus disease) Recovery Assistance to Affected Sari-Sari (Variety) Store Owners Through the Kadiwa Program”.
Local small stores owner coordinate with the provincial government of Ilocos Norte to avail the aid for them. (Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte / MANILA BULLETIN)
An initiative of Governor Matthew Marcos Manotoc, the program aims to assist distressed small and micro store owners, who were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, by providing them P2,000-worth of grocery items to replenish their merchandise.
“Sa pinagdaanan nating krisis, may mga sari-sari store owners na maaaring nagamit nila for personal consumption yung mga paninda nila kaya nawalan sila ng stock. Maaari ring wala na silang ibang pagbilihan ng ibebenta, at kung mayroon man, limited lang. Ito ang dahilan kaya we are giving these store owners a grant for free, to assist them in the form of grocery items,” Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Officer Elma Gabriel stressed.
“They will also have the opportunity to buy goods from our Kadiwa market worth P5,000 at a price 10 percent lower compared than the suggested retail price. With this, malaki ang chance na makapag-profit sila ng mas malaki dahil sa pagbili ng mga produktong mas mura,” Gabriel added.
The submission of requirements for the program opened last June 5 Manotoc announced its urgency. At present, applicants are being accommodated at the Provincial SME Office, while simultaneous applications are also being held in other local government units.
The recovery assistance program requires applicants to submit their store registration, mayor’s permit, and must be included in the list of Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI ) active sari-sari store owners.
“Initially, we projected around 1,600 slots but we are hopeful for the revision of this program para madagdagan natin yung slots as well as the 2,000 worth of grocery items, upang mas makatulong pa tayo lalo,” she said.