TACLOBAN City – The Board of Investments (BOI) has asked Negosyo (business) Centers to answer basic questions on investment promotion to attract more businesses in their area.
More than a hundred Negosyo Center officers in Eastern Visayas attended a three-day small business course on investments promotion that aims to equip them with knowledge on investment promotion and incentives for new businesses.
“In the provinces, Negosyo Center officers can answer questions on business registration, help follow up business application in local governments. But when they are asked on how to avail incentives, they couldn’t answer it,” said Bobby Fondevilla, director of BOI-Investments Assistance Service, in an interview during the event’s opening at the Oriental Hotel here Wednesday afternoon.
This is the second small business counselors’ course by BOI in a province. The first was last year in Tagaytay City for Region 4-A (Calabarzon) Negosyo Centers.
“This is not part of our drafted plan of activities for 2019, but since there are invitations, we have to come. The DTI (Department of Trade and Industry) sees that as businesses grow in the area, there are many questions that need answers that are not part of their mandate, but nevertheless, they should be able to answer it,” Fondevilla told the Philippine News Agency.
The BOI official said that with this capability training, local business centers will be able to intensify the promotion of entrepreneurship in the country as an engine for economic development.
The gathering aims to develop center counselors to become effective front-line officers, contribute to the development of the image of the area, determine tagline for the area, acquire a working knowledge in generating investment leads, properly handhold investors, and develop frequently asked questions of investors.
Local government units and the DTI, BOI’s mother agency, have already opened 95 Negosyo Centers in Eastern Visayas.
The DTI launched the first business center in the region in Carigara, Leyte on June 22, 2015.
The centers are responsible for promoting “ease of doing business and facilitating access to services for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) within its jurisdiction”, such as business registration assistance, business advisory services, business information and advocacy, and monitoring and evaluation.
The MSME Development Council, through the DTI, is the coordinating and supervising body for all the agencies involved in the establishment and operation of the Negosyo Centers.
It performs oversight functions and assigns personnel to fulfill the functions of the center.
The setting up of business centers is in compliance with Republic Act 10644, or the Go Negosyo Act. The law seeks to strengthen MSMEs to create more job opportunities in the country. (PNA)
