Based on the President’s 10th weekly report to Congress released on June 1, only six out of 16 regional offices of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) availed the Livelihood Seeding Program-Negosyo Serbisyo sa Barangay (LSP-NSB) Program for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). This constitutes P23.859 million out of the allotted P200 million to provide MSMEs with livelihood kits worth P5,000 to P8,000 of in-kind and business advisory assistance and services. 

The program, originally called Negosyo Serbisyo sa Barangay Program, was initially launched by DTI in August 2019 to support and promote MSMEs and aspiring entrepreneurs in fourth- to sixth-class cities and municipalities. But the program was reevaluated to adapt to the current situation and align with the government’s COVID-19 response programs, making LSP-NSB available to all municipalities. 

One of the objectives of the program is to strengthen the services and assistance offered by DTI’s Negosyo Centers located in all provinces, cities and municipalities. These centers offer services from business launch to expansion, which includes business registration assistance, advisory services, training, monitoring and evaluation and feedback and improvement. Currently, there are 1,010 Negosyo Centers across the country. 

Aside from the services provided, the program will possibly extend their helpdesks to barangay halls to make guidance more accessible to MSMEs. 

The total number of MSME beneficiaries will be finalized after the initial and preparatory stage of the program ends. The program is also set to send a total of 8,000 kits to 16 DTI regional offices to give out to MSMEs in their areas.

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