Seeing the adverse effect of the covid-19 pandemic to the people of Cebu, the provincial government set out to roll the Assistance Program for Micro Businesses to be able to help around 20,000 beneficiaries. The primary goal of this program is to enable displaced workers – both domestic and international – who belongs to the lowest 20 percent income group to start or recover their economic enterprise.
Cebu Micro-business Aid Program
As the program would be made available for online and offline application, the Department of Trade and Industry would be providing technical assistance to the Cebu Provincial Capitol. According to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Assistant Secretary for Regional Operations, Asteria Caberte, this program would surely provide technical assistance to workers who are tremendously affected by the health crisis.
The Department of Trade and Industry foresees the positive outcome that this project would bring to the people – in line with the directive of the President Rodrigo Duterte which was to make government services and business development assistance easier for the Filipino citizens.
Under this program, the Cebu Provincial Capitol will grant to qualified ‘micro-entrepreneurs’ or beneficiaries a “Negosyo Kit” – coupons that can be used to redeem goods worth P5,000 or P10,000 as seed capital.
Cebu Provincial Capitol partners with DTI for Micro-business Aid Program
Considering the number of legislative districts under the provincial government, Governor Gwendolyn Garcia shared that they are expecting around 80,000 applicants for the said assistance program. To ease the process, the DTI will help in facilitating business registration for Business Name, Barangay Micro-business Enterprise Registration, and the Registration with the local government unit for the Mayor’s Permit. In addition, it will also provide business advisory – like Counseling on Small and Medium Enterprise, Product Development, Financial Facilitation, Market/Business Matching, Trade Promotion, and Investment Promotion.
DTI is also tasked to help in business information and advocacy promotion such as information dissemination, training, seminars, and workshops both online and offline, as well as referral to Micro Small and Medium Enterprise Development (MSMED) agencies.
Cebu Micro-business Aid Program Application Procedures
The Cebu Provincial Capitol will begin the evaluation process of the applicants on October 9 to 15. The final list of approved applications would be on October 16 while the orientation and consultation would be done on October 19 – 24. The distribution of the coupons by district would start on October 26 – 31.
The government will then begin the monitoring of micro-business assistance on November 29.
Only residents of Cebu province who are at least 18 years of age and above are qualified to apply for this program. However, high priority is given to individuals in the lowest 20 percent income group and displaced workers as certified by the Social Welfare Development Office.
