DTI to launch ‘Shared Service Facilities’ Project in Butuan

By Jennifer P. Gaitano

BUTUAN CITY, July 31 (PIA) -- In time for the 63rd Adlaw Hong Butuan celebration, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Caraga will be launching the "Shared Service Facilities" (SSF) Project on August 2 at the Almont Hotel’s Inland Resort, this city.

The project, according to DTI-Caraga Regional Director Brielgo Pagaran, aims to improve the quality and productivity of microenterprises and small- and medium-scale enterprises (SMSEs) by addressing the gaps and bottlenecks in the value chain of priority industry clusters through the provision of processing machines/equipment for their common use.

“The Shared Service Facilities Project will enhance the competitiveness of the priority industry clusters through the use of quality and productivity enhancing machinery and equipment and will develop priority and market-driven industries in support to the National Industry Cluster Capacity Enhancement Program,” Pagaran said.

In this project, the department will provide machines/equipment to microenterprises and SMEs in identified industry clusters to give them access to technologies needed to improve productivity and product quality. Machines/equipment will include, but not limited to, packaging machines, retort, kiln driers, dye vats, slicers, thickness planners, and hand blooms.

Pagaran also relayed that as to the monitoring and evaluation of the project, an assessment of its impact will be undertaken using the following indicators: 1) number of microenterprises and SMEs assisted; 2) number of jobs generated; 3) sales generated; and 4) investments generated.

Among the criteria for identification of SSF, the proposed facility must address processing and manufacturing gaps or bottlenecks of the industry cluster brought about by any of the following: absence of the needed facility; lack of capacity of an existing facility; and cost of services of an existing facility is not afforfable. It also has an eligible cooperator.

Some local officials, government employees, and partner stakeholders from the non-government organizations and business sector are expected to grace the launching.(JPG/PIA-Caraga)