The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) continues to extend assistance to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Iloilo through its Shared Service Facilities (SSF) project.

DTI Iloilo Director Felisa Judith Degala said SSF, a flagship project of the department, seeks to address the gap in types of machinery necessary for MSMEs to improve the quality and productivity and enhance the packaging and labeling of their products.

“The intention of SSF is first to provide tools and machinery and equipment so that our MSMEs that will be using our facility will improve the quality, packaging and labeling of their products. We set up the SSF in strategic areas where a lot of MSMEs can benefit from the project,” she said.

This first semester of 2022, DTI is eyeing to operationalize three of the four approved SSF projects in Iloilo with a total cost of over P5.5 million.

Degala said the tools and equipment for the SSF on herbal processing and toll packaging center by the San Dionisio Iloilo Herbal Growers Economic Enterprise Association Inc (SaNdighheeia) in Barangay Bondulan, San Dionisio were already checked by the regional inspection team and they are just waiting for the recommendation whether or not they could already turnover the project.

They are also waiting for the delivery of tools and equipment for the food processing and toll packaging center in the municipality of Concepcion and the milk and dairy products processing center at the Philippine Carabao Center in the municipality of Calinog, Degala said.

The DTI is yet to procure the tools for the coffee post-harvest facility in the municipality of Igbaras.

“Except for the Igbaras coffee processing that we have yet to procure, the rest hopefully will be delivered this first quarter and will be operationalized within the first semester of 2022,” she said.

Degala added that the cooperator is very critical in the operationalization of the SSF because it will host and manage the operation of the SSF while the MSMEs will be the end-users.

The MSMEs will just have to shell out a minimal amount when they use the facilities to help sustain the SSF.

Qualified to become cooperators are the academe such as state universities and colleges (SUCs), National Government Agencies (NGAs), local government units, non-government and people’s organizations.

Degala said there are still beneficiaries waiting to avail of the project but for now they could not commit due to limited budget.

Last year, they also released SSF projects to three agrarian reform communities (ARCs) composed of the bread and pastry production for the San Julian Multipurpose Cooperative in Barangay San Julian, Badiangan; enhancement of bricks and pottery production in Capisan ARC in Barangay Capinang; and seaweeds processing in Barangay Tiabas, both in the municipality of San Dionisio.

She added that the bread and pastry production was a big help to the cooperative during the pandemic.PNA