DTI-9 continues MSMEs dev’t , promotion via SME Caravan

• Source: http://zamboangatimes.ph/top-news/15257-dti-9-continues-msmes-devt--promotion-via-sme-caravan.html
• Monday, June 22, 2015 13:15

By Michael Vincent D. Cajulao

The Department of Trade and Industry-9, in partnership with the different member-agencies of the ZAMPEN SME Core Group, continues its mandate of developing and promoting Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the region thru the SME Roving Academy (SMERA), or simply SME Caravan, from July 2-11.

DTI-9 Regional Director Sitti Amina M. Jain said this year’s caravan is different from the previous ones as it will now be held in the emerging growth centers in the provinces rather than in the cities.

“For this year’s SME caravan, we want to reach more MSMEs in the rural areas. For the longest time, we are conducting this in the capital cities or areas in the region. This time though we want to further develop our MSMEs based in the emerging growth centers. We want our presence to be felt in rural areas where our services are all the more needed”, Dir. Jain said.

The caravan will kick-off in Ayala, Zamboanga City on July 2-3, after which, the group will proceed to Liloy for the Zamboanga del Norte leg on July 6-7. Next stop will be in Molave, Zamboanga del Sur on July 8-9; and finally, in Kabasalan, Zamboanga Sibugay on July 10-11.

Dir. Jain said MSMEs should take advantage of the caravan as DTI has prepared trainings that would help in the development of their business.

“We are encouraging our MSMEs to participate in the caravan. We have identified various trainings and seminars that will be very beneficial in their development. Best of all, our trainings are for free. We urge them to contact the nearest DTI offices in their area for their attendance,” she said.

The trainings and seminars include entrepreneurship trainings, financial management training, product pricing and costing, financing forum, and greening of value chain.

Aside from the trainings, there will also be one-on-one consultations with the MSMEs, and presentation of programs by the different SME Core members in support to MSME development and promotion.

There will also be product development during the caravan where MSMEs can get assistance in the packaging of their products to make it market-ready.

“We have invited designers from the Design Center of the Philippines to help our MSMEs in packaging their products to make it more competitive in the market, thus, we encourage our MSMEs to bring with them raw materials abundant in their area so that designers can fashion these into new or improved product ready for market”, Jain added.