ISABELA, Negros Occidental — The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) opened the province’s 16th Negosyo Center in this southern municipality on Thursday.
DTI-Negros Occidental Provincial Director Lea Gonzales, who led the unveiling rites with Mayor Joselito Malabor, said the facility would help boost Isabela’s bamboo industry mainly through 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 here will no longer go to Bacolod City to process the registration of their businesses, she added.
Malabor said the local government has been initiating measures to develop its bamboo industry.
“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,” he said.
The Negosyo Center lodged at the Municipal Hall here is the last to be opened in Negros Occidental 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.
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 were 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. (Erwin Nicavera/PNA)
