Fourth district gets income support from PDAF, DTI

CEBU, Philippines - Residents of the province’s fourth district finally gained assistance for the augmentation of their means of income after the approval and implementation of the Priority Development Assistance Fund, as proposed by the Department of Trade and Industry in 2008.

DTI Chief Trade and Industry Development Specialist Elias Tecson said that the PDAF intended for economic development projects for the district of Representative Benhur Salimbangon, has given more sources of income for the residents of the nine Local Government Units of the district.

Tecson shared that they presented the proposal to Salimbangon stating the importance of the district’s improvement in terms of economic projects which cover Bogo City, Medellin, Daanbantayan, San Remegio, Tabuelan, Bantayan Island, Madridejos and Sta. Fe.

The project proposal was made by DTI “with the mandate of coordinating with policy makers and local chief executives to address the sectors towards economic recovery through implementing projects and programs encouraging entrepreneurship at the countryside.”

Parts of the proposal include social development interventions through enterprise development seminars, support services and the product development through product design which provides needed skills for the residents who would want to go in livelihood businesses.

Tecson said that the total project cost sums up to P3.33 million, of which the P3 million comes from the PDAF of Salimbangon and the remaining P330 thousand comes from DTI.

Of the total figure, P170 thousand would go to the enterprise development seminars and P180 thousand would be for the product design and development.

The conduct of skills training in relation to existing market demand through creation of subcontractor’s pool in the nine LGUs of the district while P285 thousand will be for the provision of common service facilities wherein they could address common investment requirements of the industry players.

Part of the proposal also includes benchmarking activities that has an allocation of P75 thousand wherein they invite other exporters to the said LGUs so that the product would be replicated in other provinces an in turn could help more people.— AJ de la Torre