Countryside development is one of the main agenda of the Arroyo

Countryside development is one of the main
agenda of the Arroyo administration. From
the development of super regions to direct
assistance to small communities, the DTI
works with other government agencies, private
sectors, and international organizations to
help realize the President’s promise in bringing
livelihood opportunities and jobs to provinces
nationwide.
By tapping the abundant regional
resources and providing necessary
interventions, the government is hopeful
that quality of life will be better.
Each region is unique
and the approach
to develop the
area, distinct.
DTI Regional Operations
CAR
The Cordilleras is an ideal site
for the coffee industry. The
areas of Benguet, Ifugao, and
Mountain Province are greatly
associated with the aromatic
Arabica variety, while lowland
Kalinga and Apayao have
rich harvests of the Robusta
and Excelsa kinds. It was in
this region that the Kalinga
Blend was born. Kalinga
Blend owner Grace Agtina
saw the opportunity to market
coffee with the fluctuation of
coffee bean supply during
lean months. She invested in
coffee processing equipment
and packaging materials and
joined DTI trainings to improve
her production and marketing.
The Department also facilitated
Kalinga Blend’s use of an idle
coffee roasting machine owned
by the LGU of Tabuk translating
to more than PhP300,000
savings.
Kalinga Blend is widely
promoted by DTI in trade fairs,
promotional collaterals, and
linked websites. With the firm’s
success, the region made its
product for OTOP. To date,
around 4,000 packs of pure
Kalinga Blend Coffee can now
be processed each month. The
company employs six full-time
and two part-time employees. It
gave the community, particularly
farmers and their families, the
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convenience and immediate
avenue to sell their produce.
With an initial start-up of
PhP2M, Kalinga Blend sales are
expected to hit PhP3M
by 2009.
Region 1
Lingayen, Pangasinan is
home to the best bagoong—a
fermented fish or shrimp paste
used as condiment. Bagoongmaking has been a livelihood
tradition passed on through
generations. The town’s
abundance in fish varieties
such as “dilis,” “galunggong,”
“caballas,” “terong,” “padas,”
enabled townsfolk to harvest the
marine raw materials in large
quantities. Unconsumed or
unsold catch are preserved via
salt fermentation. Perfecting the
procedure, the result is today’s
most sought after condiment
and flavoring.
Tourists and visitors passing by
Lingayen cannot miss villages /
barangays manufacturing and
selling bagoong.
Region 2
Taking consumer welfare and
protection to its next level, DTI
Region 2 held its 1st Cagayan
Valley Consumer Assembly
which highlighted the Grand
Launching of the Pinoy Cop
(Consumer on Patrol) during the
Consumer Month celebration.
Heart of the project is a
combination of education and
social responsibility that aims to
inform customers of their rights
as consumers and encourage
them to be vigilant stakeholders
in the community.
The so-called “Pinoy Cops”
will be engaged actively as
“consumer on patrol” in their
respective schools, homes,
working places or communities
in the massive informationdissemination campaign
on consumer welfare and
protection.
Region 3
NERBAC-Central Luzon was
established on 31 January
2008 with the participation of
line agencies critical to business
registration, e.g. DTI, BIR, and
Home Development Mutual
Fund (HDMF), Philhealth, and
SSS, including the Angeles LGU.
These agencies were integrated
for greater ease in doing
business. Processing time for
business registration has been
shortened to approximately five
days and two hours. By year
end, the NERBAC Center had
successfully facilitated the entry
of eight new investments in the
region amounting to a total of
PhP2,030.65M and 2,470 jobs
generated.
NCR
DTI-NCR embarked on
“Diskwento – Presyong Panalo
Para sa Mamimiling Pilipino”
to provide consumers basic
commodities such as food
and non-food products at
discounted prices, from 10-70%
lower than prevailing market
rate. The mobile market travels
from one city to another every
15th and 30th each month with
producers and manufacturers
offering.
A total of nine locations
in Metro Manila hosted
the Diskwento Caravan
accommodating an estimated
20,521 buyers and generating
total revenue of PhP4.71M.
The program was dovetailed
with project services
coordinated with local
government units, Technical
Education and Skills
Development Authority (TESDA)
and the private sector. The
Diskwento Caravan concept will
be replicated in the regions.
Region 4A
The Pinagdanlayan RIC
Multipurpose Cooperative
produces ginger-based products
including instant salabat
(ginger-based drink) in Quezon
and the OTOP Project in the
region.
The cooperative availed of
DTI’s assistance through the
OTOP Program on various skills
and managerial training, which
was complemented by thorough
networking. The Department’s
involvement enabled the
organization to avail of the
Canadian Executive Service
Organization assistance.
DTI Annual Report 2008
Also, the provincial
government, through the
PhP500,000 grant set by
Gov. Raffy P. Nantes to
each municipality and city,
opened funding opportunities
for Pinagdanlayan RIC
Multipurpose Cooperative.
Resources that it used to buy
two machines, packaging
and labeling materials,
processing tools and construct
a water tank. This enabled
the organization to be Good
Manufacturing Practice (GMP)
compliant and apply for Food
and Drugs Authority (FDA)
Certification (regional level).
In 2008, Pinagdanlayan
RIC Multipurpose Cooperative
generated total sales of
PhP280,000, a 500% increase
after its introduction in 2006.
The cooperative is actively
involved in various marketing
activities, including trade
fairs in different parts of
the country. The cooperative
targets PhP850,000 sales
by 2009 for instant salabat
alone and envisions
employment to local
ginger-grower families.
Region 4B
DTI-Region 4B launched its
Product Catalogue which is a
menu of native creation from
food to personal care products
to crafts using abundant and
exclusive resources found in
the region. The main aim is
to promote the endeavor of
the region’s dealings with
product design, packaging,
and generating new concepts
as the region opened its doors
to boost local entrepreneurship
and create new markets.
Region 5
Long before spa business
became popular in the
Philippines, the parahilot of
Maragao has already been in
existence. This distinctive brand
or style of spa service known as
“hilot” is an income-generating
offering standardized and
improved through DTI’s
OTOP Program. Previously,
“parahilot” service rates
ranged from PhP5 to PhP50.
The Durantes were among the
many families deriving their
meager earning in this informal
sector. As the town’s OTOP,
the industry is banded into a
“parahilot” association. The
results included standardization
of service fee of PhP50/hilot
(minimum charge rate) and the
provision of training programs
and professionalized the
“hilot” service.
In a span of three years, this
home-based family livelihood
“parahilot” has turned to
a familial yet professional
occupation under the Family
Sprain Experts, Inc. The
company’s continuous growth
is reflected in its existing four
hilot centers found in different
malls with combined earnings
that averages PhP50,000 each
month. During peak season,
the family’s hilot centers located
in Nagaland E-mall can earn
as much as PhP3,000/day,
with only two staff therapists
providing service to clients.
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Region 6
RGies Delicacies is one of the
fastest growing OTOP SMEs in
Iloilo City, with 15 employees
and monthly sales average of
PhP350,000.
RGies Enterprise advancement
is due to the loan extended
by DOST’s Small Enterprise
Technology Upgrading Program
(SET-UP). The program aims
to address the firm’s over-all
business through technology
and technology transfer. A
total of PhP3M worth of loan
was offered as non-collateral
(without interest) for MSMEs to
acquire necessary technology to
improve operational efficiency
and competitiveness.
DTI for its part assisted the
company in boosting its
products to meet international
standards. RGies was able to
construct a new PhP2-M factory
as well as acquire additional
equipment by end of 2008.
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The family owner, the Javelosas,
is now operating RGies
Delicacies as an established
brand both in the local and
international markets. The
products are widely distributed
in five SM Malls and in
all SM Department Store-
Snacks Exchange Section and
Supermarkets including
SM Guam.
Region 7
Year 2008 was a fashion
inspired year for DTI Region
7 as it launched its first
International Accessories Fair
dubbed as Bijoux Cebu. Held
last 20-22 September 2008
at Shangri-La Mactan Island
Resort and Spa, the event was
participated by 104 exhibitors
from the jewelry and accessories
sector, which garnered
an initial gross revenue of
US$1.7M. With an aim to
integrate the professionalism
of an international show with
local hospitality, Bijoux Cebu
also positioned the Philippines,
particularly Cebu, as Asia’s
destination for green jewelry.
The event was organized by
the Cebu Fashion Accessories
Manufacturers and Exporters
Foundation (Cebu FAME),
in partnership with DTI, the
Department of Environment and
Natural Resources (DENR), and
the EDC.
Region 8
In line with efforts to boost
entrepreneurship and
investment facilitation in the
country, DTI 8 sreamlined the
business permit and license
system of eight LGUs under
the DTI–GTZ PSP (SMEDSEP).
The processing time of
business permits and licenses
dramatically reduced from
one month to, at present, four
days. This move resulted in
increase of revenues as well as
encouraged more applicants to
register their business.
Region 9
Seen as an innovative tactic in
trade progress, the EPP was rolled
out in Zamboanga City during the
second semester of 2008. The roll
out created five new exporters while
three new international markets
were penetrated (Dubai for Halal
products; Malta and Russia for
sardines). These markets were the
results of combined research and
complementing market linkage
activities of both the public and
private sectors. Partnership with
commercial attaches and other
exporters enabled the creation of
new markets and business venture
opportunities.
Region 10
Aggressive marketing campaigns
and promotion programs in the
region resulted in 37% increase
domestic sales in 2008 compared
to the previous year. The region
participated in 32 trade fairs
including the “Kahimunan
Festival”, an OTOP Mindanao
Island Fair with 123 exhibitors
from Regions 10,11, 12, and
CARAGA. Highlight of the fair was
the One Barangay, One Product
(OBOP) Program launch in
Cagayan de Oro where a
PhP500,000 intial fund was
allocated for a project that will
directly benefit and impact 56
barangays in the second district of
Cagayan de Oro.
The success of the OTOP
Program in Northern Mindanao
region provided stability to 29
permanent OTOP marketing
outlets and pasalubong centers
that were established regionwide. These centers are currently
instrumental in generating
domestic market sales of
508.91M and assisting 1,951
MSMEs in the region.
DTI Annual Report 2008
Region 11
The Mindanao Investment
Conference (MINCON) was
conducted in November 2008,
with an aim to develop the
countryside and strengthen MSMEs
in the region. Themed as “Drive
the Wheels for Peace…Invest in
MIndaNow”, the event opened
investment and trade opportunities
in the agro-industrial endeavors,
advocating the need to expand
production and processing of
market driven commodities like
Pangasius, Seaweeds, Cardava
Banana, Honeybee Rubber
Production, and Moringga
(Malunggay). The goal of the
conference was achieved by
uniting various stakeholders thrust
hand-in-hand with the common
goal to boost investment in the
region. Financing facilities like LBP,
DBP, Planters Development Bank,
and Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas
(BSP) pledged their support in
developing high-growth potential
industries.
On the other hand, Philippine
Agricultural Development and
Commercialization Corporation
(PADCC) presented available
public lands that can be used
for advancement. Signing/
Forging of Strategic Industry
Alliances, One-to-One Business
Matching Sessions and an
Investment Exhibit resulted in
12 business matches, involving
67 individuals/firms. A MOA
was also signed among
stakeholders in the development
of the Pangasius Industry, which
is seen to eventually grow as
a national program that will
impact thousands of Filipino
families.
Region 12
DTI Region 12 is the second
among the regions to be awarded
with ISO 9001:2000 Standards
Quality certification. The
certification ensures that services
from the region is reliable and
consistent to standards. Region 12
got the certification after a third
party certifying body conducted
a rigorous assessment and
certification audits on conformance
to standards. Distinct to DTI 12,
however, is the integration of the
Government Quality Management
System Standards (GQMSS).
CARAGA
The CARAGA region launched
its NERBAC CARAGA in Butuan
City on 25 June 2008, and is
now on its way to being a
full-fledged one-stop action center
to promote and boost investments
in the region. It now has three fully
functional units manned by fulltime and detailed staff from DTI,
SSS, Pag-IBIG and Philhealth. A
network of technical working group
(TWG), focal persons, committed
set of board of directors from its
30-member agencies provide
the center with the strong support
enabling its efficient operations
and service delivery to its business
applicants and investors. A series
of consultations and studies were
conducted to reduce time and
business requirements processing
to encourage enterprising people
to set-up their own businesses.
To date, the approval rate of
processed business names
is equivalent to 97% or 688
approved business names.
In its sixth months of operations,
NERBAC CARAGA generated
PhP 151.95M worth of investments
and 2,093 new jobs.
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