One of the key livelihood programs of DTI Region 3 benefitted 9,516 beneficiaries from Central Luzon in 2021. The seven provincial offices of DTI-3 were able to provide livelihood kits and livelihood training under the Livelihood Seeding Program – Negosyo Serbisyo sa Barangay (LSP-NSB) program.
Among the provinces, Aurora got the lion share of beneficiaries with 8,198 beneficiaries while Bataan had 192 beneficiaries and Bulacan had 230. There were also 188 LSP-NSB beneficiaries from Nueva Ecija, while Pampanga had 278, Tarlac had 201 and Zambales had 229 program beneficiaries. The DTI-3 set aside Php 50.115 Million for the program in 2021.
The livelihood packages given to each beneficiary amounted from Php 5,000 to Php 8,000. These were in the form of goods, raw materials and equipment for businesses like Sari-sari store, Bigasan, Carinderia, Food Processing and Non-Food Manufacturing. Aside from the kits, each beneficiary was also required to attend training on entrepreneurship and livelihood skills training. Business cliniquing was also done to ensure the progress of the business of the beneficiaries.
The LSP-NSB is a program of DTI that allows a wider reach of business development assistance by bringing government services closer to the people through partnerships between relevant local government units (LGUs) and DTI. Through the Barangay Development Councils (BDCs), the DTI helps in capacitating barangay personnel to provide basic business advisory or information dissemination services to MSMEs in the locality.
In addition, the DTI — in partnership with the national government agencies, local government units, non-government organizations, the private sector, and through the Negosyo Centers — promote ease of doing business and provide access to development services for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) through the Business Counselors in their areas of responsibility.
Regional Director Leonila T. Baluyut of DTI-3 noted that through the LSP-NSB program, many micro, small and medium enterprises affected by the economic downturn due to the pandemic were able to recover and restart their small businesses.
