Some 5,500 Quezon City residents who are owners of small businesses on Friday received financial assistance from the city government.

During the awarding ceremony for the first batch of beneficiaries of “Kalingang QC sa Negosyo for Small Enterprises”, Mayor Joy Belmonte told said the city government would never leave small business owners in the middle of a crisis.

“Sana ay makatulong ito para maibsan ang peligro na baka kayo ay magsara at sana ay mahikayat pa natin ang mas madaming negosyante na tumaya sa QC (I hope this will help to ease the possibility for small businesses to close down and I hope this will also encourage more businesses to come to QC) because we aim to be the destination of choice for all businessmen and businesswomen through our commitment to good governance,” Belmonte said.

She said the program launched through the city’s Local Economic Investment Promotions Office (LEIPO) aims to boost the local economy of QC and to ensure continuous employment of QC residents to make businesses relevant to the needs of the city and to create multiple effects.

Belmonte said that there are an estimated 11,000 small enterprises in the city with about 550,000 employees in the small business sector.

She added that the financial assistance also aims to revitalize the economy of the city and at the same time, give back hope to QC entrepreneurs and workers most especially in these trying times.

She added that the city government was able to allocate about PHP500 million for the stimulus package from the taxes paid by its residents.

Belmonte also assured her constituents that the local government has prepared many other programs to help everyone recover from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Aside from these, she also said that the city government would soon announce the second batch of beneficiaries of the program. (PNA)