The shared service facilities (SSF) project, a flagship program of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), has generated over PHP60.68 million in sales and more than PHP18.14 million in investments in Western Visayas.

During the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas on Tuesday, DTI-6 officer-in-charge and assistant regional director Mutya Eusores said the program assisted about 1,012 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and created 1,541 jobs in 2024.

SSF was designed to improve the competitiveness and productivity of MSMEs by providing them with machinery, equipment, tools, systems, skills and knowledge to benefit under a shared system.

Eusores said 153 SSFs are operating in Western Visayas, with 131 co-operators.

“They are well-distributed across the region, but most are in Antique. Our beneficiaries usually are micro and small (enterprises),” she said, citing their bid to promote increased use of the facility and gather more stakeholders for the program.

Antique has 69 SSFs, Aklan, 14; Capiz, 12; Iloilo, 33; Negros Occidental; 21, and Guimaras, four.

The food processing and wearables and home styles industry clusters have the most SSFs, with 60 and 44, respectively.

Eusores said they are also preparing the MSMEs for possible exporting, which means they need to expand their production.

“Our SSFs are helping on that aspect. If they could not export directly, (they) maybe (tapped) indirectly (or) as a supplier to other exporters in the region,” she added. (PNA)