Negosyo centers are considered ‘convenience stores for entrepreneurs’

3 Negosyo centers open in Cebu

Trade Undersecretary Zenaida Maglaya (3rd from left) leads the ribbon-cutting ceremony marking the opening of the DTI Negosyo Center. Trade Provincial Director Nelia Navarro (left) and Trade Regional Director Asteria Caberte (5h from left) were also present at the event. (CDN PHOTO/ LITO TECSON)

Micro, small and medium enterprises in Cebu will now find it easier to approach the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) for their concerns and questions with the opening of three Go Negosyo centers in the province.

 Two centers were opened in Cebu City yesterday while another will open today in Bogo City in northern Cebu.

 In Cebu City, one Negosyo center is located at the DTI regional office in WDC Bldg. along Osmeña Blvd. while the other is at the DTI Cebu provincial office at the corner of Osmeña Blvd. and Lapu-Lapu St.

 Each center serves as a one-stop shop that offers business registration assistance, advisory, and information and advocacy.

Negosyo center program manager Dorecita Delima described the center as “a convenience store for businessmen.”

 “Just like a convenience store, they (Negosyo centers) should be located in key cities, municipalities and capital towns, where it can be accessed by businessmen. A Negosyo Center should be able to provide the basic needs of businessmen. It should be supplied not only by the DTI, but by other government agencies and the private sector who will be able to assist and provide services to the businessmen,” Delima said.

 At the very least, she said entrepreneurs should be able to get information, application forms and lists of requirements at the center.

 Asteria C. Caberte, DTI regional director for Central Visayas, said the centers will help in their campaign to foster entrepreneurial mind-sets as well as create wealth, jobs and social empowerment.

 The two centers in Cebu were established in partnership with the Cebu Gifts, Toys and Housewares (GTH) Foundation.

 Caberte said DTI targets to open 100 Negosyo Centers before the end of the year.

Five centers were opened last year, bringing the total number of centers operating nationwide to 80.

In Central Visayas, there are currently seven Negosyo centers — two in Bohol, two in Cebu City, one in Siquijor, one in Negros Oriental and one in Bogo City.

Caberte said they are also looking to launch several other Negosyo centers in the region, starting with another center in Tagbilaran City, Bohol on Sept. 4 and in Dumaguete on Oct. 4.

The agency is also planning to roll out several more centers in 2016.

 Establishment of a Go Negosyo center is provided for under Republic Act 10644, or Go Negosyo Act.

 A center’s core services are business registration assistance, advisory, and information and advocacy.

 To provide MSMEs registration assistance are representatives of the Bureau of Internal Revenue, Social Security System, Philippine Health Insurance Corp. and Pag-IBIG Fund.

 The center provides entrepreneurs information on product development, market access, access to finance and investment promotion.

 A Business Resource Center in the Negosyo Center Cebu will provide MSMEs digitized access to research and resource materials that can help them improve their businesses. The kiosk, called STARBOOKS (Science and

Technology Academic Resource-Based Openly Operating Kiosk System), was provided by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

 DOST-7 provincial director Samuel Parcon said they are also looking to put up in partnership with DTI an electronic commerce website application called onestore.ph, where MSMEs can sell their products.

 Other agencies and organizations that partnered with DTI-7 for the centers include the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry  Board of Investments, and the National Economic and Development Authority.  DTI is also closely collaborating with the University of San Carlos – Cebu to build a database for business analytics and assist MSMEs with business research.

 DTI has also partnered with several micro-finance companies to help MSMEs gain easier access to financing solutions. These companies include the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc.