At least 155 micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Surigao del Sur (SDS) received PHP1.2 million worth of support this month from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

In an interview Wednesday, Bema Vasquez, chief of DT-SDS MSME development division, said the assistance was facilitated under the Livelihood Seeding Program – Negosyo Serbisyo sa Barangay (LSP-NSB) program of the agency.

“Each of the beneficiaries received PHP8,000 worth of livelihood kits for the improvement and sustainability of their businesses,” Vasquez said, adding that the recipients included MSMEs from Surigao del Sur’s 13 towns and 20 villages.

Among the beneficiaries was Marcela Diaz, of Barangay Doña Carmen, Tagbina town, who thanked the government for the financial assistance.

“I am thankful to the government and the DTI because I was able to avail of the monetary support that will help my business,” Diaz was quoted as saying.

The LSP-NSB is a DTI program that aims to maximize the potential of barangays to become economically independent and make them more effective partners in the attainment of national goals to generate income and more jobs.

Meanwhile, Vasquez said 121 other MSMEs also got a total of PHP968,000 worth of livelihood kits from DTI-SDS this month through the agency’s Pangkabuhayan sa Pagbangon at Ginhawa (PPG) program.

“These separate 121 MSMEs under the PPG program are those that were directly affected by the past calamities in five towns in the province,” she said.

Vazquez noted that of the 121 MSME recipients under the PPG program, 13 were registered as beneficiaries of the Balik Probinsya, Bagong Pag-Asa program of the government. (PNA)