DAVNOR SMEs IMPROVED PRODUCTION UNDER DTI’S SSF

A significant improvement in the production output of Shared Service Facility (SSF) beneficiaries from Davao del Norte was noted during a visit conducted by the team from Department of Trade and Industry on April 26, 2016.

Shared Service Facilities (SSF) is a program of the Department of Trade and Industry which is designed to eliminate bottlenecks in the production process of MSMEs by providing necessary equipment and machineries. This will speed up the production process which in turn enable them to meet existing market demands.

DTI Team who visited the SSF beneficiaries in Davao del Norte on April 26, 2016 headed by Assistant Secretary for Regional Operations Blesilda Lantayona (3rd from left).

The visit was part of the three-day DTI Services Caravan dubbed as “DTI Negosyo, Konsyumer at Iba Pa”. The Davao leg of the caravan was held at SM Lanang, in Davao City on April 25-27, 2016. The visiting DTI team was headed by DTI Assistant Secretary for Regional Operations Blesila A. Lantayona and consists of DTI regional directors and representatives from DTI attached agencies such as the Export Marketing Bureau (EMB) and Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM).

Four SSF’s were visited including famed cacao products exporter Chokolate de San Isidro (CSI), banana powder producer AMS Employees Fresh Fruit Producers Cooperative (AMSEFFPCO) in Kapalong, the Engineered Bamboo Processing Center in Tagum National Trade School, and the vermi-composting facility of Rehoboth in Panabo City. These organizations reported an improvement in their operations due to the shift from the labor-intensive to machine-enabled production process.

Women from San Isidro takes pride in the global success of Sikwate! by CSI which in turn gives them and their husbands a sustainable source of income.

The cacao processing equipments turned over by DTI to CSI helped the organization to attain quality standards in their Sikwate “tableya”, a local name for round flat tablets made from ground cacao beans. Aside from being used in hot chocolate drinks, their “tableya” has also become in demand with restaurants and bakeshops around the Philippines as a main ingredient to chocolate-based pastries and dishes. CSI also exports to Japan, Europe and Australia.

These MSMEs also disclosed an increase in gross sales due to the increased production volume. More importantly, they were able to penetrate new markets and employ more people from their area.

DTI-Davao del Norte Provincial Director evaluates AMSEFFPCO's feed-grade banana powder processed through the granulator provided by DTI under its SSF program.

“Banana off-grade from the farms of our members used to just rot in the corner. Now, we are producing an average 10 tons of feed-grade banana powder every month thanks to the granulator provided by DTI under its Shared Service Facility Program.”, said Rizalie Calma, AMSEFFPCO’s Project Manager. 

They are currently selling their produce to big feed mill companies in the country. The coop was able to generate more than one million pesos of income last 2015. “We are now providing livelihood not just for our members but for the whole community”, she added.

A total of 25 trade associations and cooperatives from Davao del Norte have already benefited from DTI’s SSF Program since it was launched last 2013. The agency is set to launch this year its last batch of Shared Service Facilities. (DTI-DN Info Unit)

DAVNOR CONSUMER ORGS STRENGTHENED

In recognition of the need to foster consumer welfare and protection by ensuring and protecting consumer rights, the Department of Trade and Industry  - Davao del Norte Provincial Office recently took the forefront in the move to strengthen consumer organizations in the province.

Eyed as a vehicle in championing consumer protection and empowerment, these consumer organizations are composed of leaders from different civil organizations, sectoral associations, local government representatives and the public in general. Its primary advocacy is to push for the creation of local policies that would benefit the consuming public. It also plays an important role in the implementation of various consumer-related laws such as the Consumer Act and Price Act aside from serving as a venue to better promote and disseminate information on consumer privileges and responsibilities.

The officers and members of Konsumo Tagum, Inc. posed with DTI-Davao del Norte staff during the opening program of the Consumer Month Celebration.

Several consumer empowerment activities had already been conducted by DTI  this year particularly in the cities of IGaCoS and Tagum, in partnership with consumer organizations, namely: the IGaCoS Consumer Association (ICA) and Konsumo Tagum, which benefited 670 consumers composed of students, teachers, and barangay officials.

The officers of IGaCoS Consumers Association during their annual assembly last March 2015.

The Barangay Advocate for Consumer Education and Empowerment (B-ACE) is among the activities conducted in partnership with the consumer organizations. This program had been implemented since 2012 and had since then helped educate and empower consumers in far flung barangays.

"We wanted to educate consumers in the barangay level because we believe that those who attended our lectures can pass the information to their neighbors, relatives and friends who will in turn educate other people. This will enable them to become more involved and to make informed social and environmental choices.”, DTI-Davao del Norte Consumer Protection Services Division Chief Atty. Zerline T. Balleque said.

She also added that the agency has also conducted several consumer education lectures in various private and public highschools in the province in partnership with these consumer organizations.

A member of the IGaCoS Consumer Association (ICA) conducted a lecture on consumer rights to the highschool students of Island Garden City of Samal.

Another initiative that the provincial office conducted in partnership with consumer organizations is the Diskwento Caravan, a public service activity of DTI which gathers medium to large retail institutions to conduct a discount sales mission in various municipalities. This is to provide opportunities to consumers in distant areas to access high quality goods at a discounted price. Members and officers of the consumer organization often serves as a harbinger in notifying the public for any diskwento caravans that will be conducted in their area.

DTI - Davao del Norte is slated to conduct more consumer empowerment activities such as those mentioned above especially for the month of October which is dubbed as “Consumer Welfare Month”. All of these will also be in collaboration with consumer organizations.

The agency targets to form more consumer organizations in the province for this year and the next.

"It is our aim to have consumer organizations in the 11 municipalities of Davao del Norte." Romeo L. Castañaga, Officer in Charge of DTI-Davao del Norte revealed.

"We in the DTI believe that by letting the public become more involved, they themselves become advocates of educating and empowering their fellow consumers." Castañaga added.

DTI LAUNCHES FIRST BAMBOO PROCESSING FACILITY IN MINDANAO

DTI-Davao del Norte Officer in Charge Romeo L. Castañaga (leftmost), DTI-Regional Office XI Officer in Charge Maria Belenda Q. Ambi, CESO V (third from left) and Tagum National Trade School (TNTS) Principal Mario S. Gregorio (2nd from right) inks Memorandum of Agreement for the turn-over of the Engineered Bamboo Shared Service Facilities to TNTS on August 26, 2015 as witnessed by representatives from the Department of Education, Provincial Government of Davao del Norte and the City Government of Tagum.

Under the auspices of its Shared Service Facility (SSF) Program, the Department of Trade and Industry Davao del Norte Field Office in partnership with the City Government of Tagum launched on August 26, 2015 the first ever Engineered Bamboo Processing and Development Facility in Mindanao located at the Tagum National Trade School, Apokon, Tagum City.

The facility which consisted of various bamboo processing equipments for primary processing, cutting operations, sanding operation, electric and portable tools, carpentry tools and consumables, and planks and panel for final processing has a total cost of Php3.559 million.

Some of the Shared Service Facilities on Engineered Bamboo Processing handed over by DTI to Taagum National Trade School: (left to right) Universal Sharpener for Circular Saw, Laminating Press with Pneumatic Cylinder, Twin Rip Saw, Dust Collector, Wide Belt Sander

According to data from DTI, this project was conceived way back in 2010 when the agency provided trainings and equipment for the processing of engineered bamboo and had consequently organized a Bamboo Forum in 2012. With the implementation of their SSF Program in 2012, a proposal for the provision of a bamboo processing hub in Davao del Norte was made.

The kiln dryer for bamboo is one of the facilities entrusted by DTI to Tagum National Trade School. Drying a freshly cut bamboo pole minimizes breakage and prevents decay caused by microorganisms

Maria Belenda Q. Ambi, Officer in Charge of DTI – Regional Office XI revealed that this is one of the first projects to be approved upon commencement of the SSF Program.

DTI-Regional Offie XI Officer in Charge Maria Belenda Q. Ambi talks about how this bamboo development project came into being during the Launching and Turn-over Ceremony.

The main objective for the establishment of this facility is to introduce appropriate production processes and manufacturing technologies to MSMEs for e-bamboo and bamboo furniture and fixtures. It also aims to fully utilize the bamboo resources in the province especially since all its local government units have already established their respective nurseries and bamboo propagation projects in partnership with DANA Foundation, the private sector champion for bamboo industry development.

The local government unit of Tagum City has expressed their support in this endeavor with the provision of funds to Tagum National Trade School for the construction of a building to house the equipments. It also signified to look for ways to put bamboo propagation at the forefront of its agricultural projects.

According to Tagum National Trade School principal Dr. Mario S. Gregorio, even the private sector contributed for the inception of this project by donating aggregates to level off the land for building construction.

From left to right: Tagum City Schools Division Superintendent Cristy C. Epe, Executive Assistant from the Provincial Governor's Office Rosalio Ibañez, DTI-XI Officer in Charge Maria Belenda Q. Ambi and DTI-Davao del Norte Officer in Charge Romeo L. Castañaga lead the cutting of ribbons during the launching and turn-over ceremony of the Shared Service Facility for Engineered Bamboo Processing.

DTI – Davao del Norte Officer in Charge Romeo L. Castañaga said that this facility will not only serve as training center for senior high school students and individuals who are interested in bamboo processing but will also welcome MSMEs and other stakeholders who wanted to process their  raw bamboo.

“This is not the end but just the beginning. The agency is set to conduct more interventions in the future such as product designing and lectures on pricing and costing.”,Castañaga added.

DTI-Davao del Norte will also partner with Tagum National Trade School in the proposed SSF for Jewelry Industry Development.