CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga (PIA) -- About 45 Kapampangans receive livelihood aid from Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) under its Livelihood Seeding Program-Negosyo Serbisyo sa Barangay (LSP-NSB).

These include five beneficiaries each from barangays Sampaloc and San Vicente in Apalit; Cabalantian in Bacolor; San Nicolas 1 and San Francisco in Magalang; Pandacaqui and San Lorenzo in Mexico; and San Jose and Apalit in Floridablanca. 

Under the program, each beneficiary received livelihood package worth P5,000 to start their own business. 

DTI Provincial Director Elenita Ordonio said LSP-NSB is one of the most important programs of DTI at present as it allows a wider reach of business development assistance by bringing government services closer to the people through partnership between local government units (LGUs) and the DTI. 

“LSP-NSB uses priority assistance to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) affected by natural and human-induced calamities including health disasters arising from epidemic and pandemic. The program will enable the affected MSMEs to bounce back through the livelihood assistance package provided by the DTI,” Ordonio said. 

To ensure the sustainability of the program, the director added that they [DTI] are not only turning over the livelihood kits but are also providing business development services to include seminars on entrepreneurial mindsetting, how to start a business, as well as skills training program. 

“We want our MSMEs to graduate so we will continue with the monitoring of their operation and they will also be given the priority on other DTI programs and services like Kapatid Mentor ME, the One Town One Product Next Generation program, and Shared Service Facilities, among others,” she cited. 

Ordonio also hoped that as the program progresses, DTI will be able to reach out to more MSMEs through its partnership with the LGUs and some other stakeholders. (CLJD/MJSC-PIA 3)