Baguio Negosyo Center to help entrepreneurs

By Dexter A. See

BAGUIO CITY – The city council approved a resolution authorizing Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan to enter into a memorandum of agreement with the Department of Trade and Industry Baguio-Benguet Provincial Office for the immediate establishment of a Negosyo Center in the city.

               The resolution authored by Councilor Leandro B. Yangot, Jr. stated DTI identified Baguio City as its partner in the establishment and management of a local government unit-based Negosyo Center to be located within the premises of city hall.

Both the DTI and local government support government’s effort in nation-building through the promotion and development of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) as engines of job creation and a major strategy for poverty reduction in the country.

To avoid duplication of efforts and hasten coordinated action, the resolution stipulated the MSME Development Council be tasked to encourage public-private partnership in the establishment and management of Negosyo Centers in collaboration with local government units and other agencies and organizations whose programs and activities are aligned with employment.

Republic Act (RA) No. 10644 known as the Go Negosyo Act, was signed into law on July 15, 2015 and the DTI Department Administrative Order No. 14-5, series of 2014 otherwise known as the Implementing Rules and Regulations of RA 10644 was subsequently issued, which seeks to strengthen micro, small and medium enterprises to create more job opportunities in the country.

Yangot, who chairs the city council committee on market, trade, commerce and agriculture, said talks had been underway for establishment of the long overdue Negosyo Center in the city to be situated within premises of City Hall to allow owners of micro- small and medium enterprises to easily access assistance from the center for  their businesses.

The Negosyo Center will be established as soon as the agreement shall have been signed by both parties to help in increasing the chances of MSMEs to acquire technical assistance from business experts in accessing support from government agencies and the private sector.

For the past years, DTI had been working out the establishment of Negosyo Centers in the different parts of the region to help expand the assistance to MSMEs and advance the state of small entrepreneurship in the countryside.

Negosyo Centers provide MSMEs assistance to help spur growth of businesses.