CEBU CITY -- The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI-7)-Bohol has started releasing livelihood kits and vouchers to 45 qualified micro, small and medium entrepreneur (MSME)-beneficiaries in Clarin and Balilihan towns on July 9 through its “Negosyo Serbisyo sa Barangay - Livelihood Seedling Program” (NSB-LSP).
DTI- Bohol Provincial Director Maria Soledad Balistoy said the 45 MSMEs were the first beneficiaries of the livelihood kits each amounting to P6, 000, which was DTI’s commitment to the Bayanihan To Heal As One Act through its Livelihood Seeding Program -LSP-NSB.
The towns of Clarin and Balilihan of the second and first congressional districts were the first municipalities to have been released with the said assistance.
For Bohol, DTI is set to release livelihood kits to 36 other local government units (LGUs) comprising of 99 barangays corresponding to 480 beneficiaries for the month of July, and the ceremonial turnover for the third district will be at the Municipality of Dimiao on July 14, Balistoy added.
Bohol Governor Arthur Yap assured the beneficiaries that the provincial government has also the “We Survive As One Bohol Program” which is a stimulus package to help distressed businesses in the province to recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bohol Representatives Edgar Chatto, first district; and Erico Aumentado, second district, affirmed their commitments in supporting the NSB-Livelihood Seedling Program and they underscored the benefits and importance of the collaboration between the Local Government Units (LGUs) and National Government Agencies (NGA) in aiding MSMEs.
Balistoy stated that the beneficiaries will not be left alone as they are now part its database, they will be hand held by the Business Counsellors of the Negosyo Centers and guided until they are able to grow and excel in their business.
According to Balistoy that the NSB-LSP was an offshoot of the Negosyo Serbisyo sa Barangay Program, which aims to provide package of livelihood kits and business advisory assistance and services to MSMEs affected by natural and human-induced calamities including health disasters.
Present during the ceremonial turnover were Clarin Mayor Eugeniano Ibarra, Aumentado, Balilihan Mayor Ma. Pureza Veloso-Chatto, and Cong. Chatto.