BACOLOD City – The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has allocated P350,000 to fund the coffee processing project in Silay City, Negros Occidental under the agency’s shared service facility (SSF) initiative.
The amount is part of DTI’s almost P6.2 million allocation under its regular fund for various SSFs in Western Visayas.
Lea Gonzales, provincial director of DTI-Negros Occidental, said on Monday the Silay project aims to enable coffee farmer-producers in Barangay Patag to improve the quality of their crops so they can sell at a better market price.
Through the SSF project, the agency assists micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) by providing them machines and equipment to improve product quality and increase productivity, which will result in more income.
Gonzales said enterprises which cannot afford to buy equipment are being grouped with cooperators to avail of the SSFs.
Meanwhile, three state universities and colleges (SUCs) in Negros Occidental are also recipients of separate SSF fund allocation for all provinces in Western Visayas.
These include the Technological University of the Philippines (TUP)-Visayas, Carlos Hilado Memorial State College (CHMSC), and Central Philippines State University (CPSU).
Projects being funded under the allocation include research and extension programs of SUCs, school of living traditions to preserve the culture of indigenous people, those managed by the youth sector, and projects proposed by non-government organizations and local government units, among others.
TUP-Visayas will receive equipment for metal works while CHMSC and CPSU will be provided SSFs for food processing and engineered bamboo production, respectively.
Gonzales said these projects are scheduled for implementation this year. (PNA)
