PRESS RELEASE

DTI-9 turns-over P2.7-M to 6 towns in region 9

By Michael Vincent D. Cajulao
ZAMBOANGA CITY, Nov. 25 Six municipalities in the region have received monetary
assistance of P2,722,500 from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-9 to help
local government units (LGUs) develop and enhance their products and services.
The assistance is under the Grassroots Participatory Budgeting (GPB), formerly known
as the Bottom-Up Budgeting (BUB), a key component of President Benigno Aquino IIIs
anti-poverty program.
The recipient-municipalities are Baliguian, Sindangan and Pian of Zamboanga del
Norte, Kumalarang and Ramon Magsaysay of Zamboanga del Sur and Malangas town
of Zamboanga Sibugay.
The projects proposed for Zamboanga del Norte are Business Permit and Licensing
System (BPLS) for Pian and Sindangan. These municipalities aim to speed up the
processing of business permits and licenses to encourage more investors to pour in
their capital in said towns, each receiving P130,000 for the project, while Baliguian town
focuses on the promotion of their local wine called pangasi through wine packaging
and preservation training. The project cost is P185,000.00.
In an interview with Sindangan Mayor Nilo Florentino Z. Sy, he thanked DTI for the
assistance saying, this is a big help to us. This will definitely hasten our transaction in
our municipality. We already implemented a One-Stop Shop license processing in
Sindangan, and now that we received this from DTI, it will further speed up our
processing. This will be of big help for our businessmen.
Baliguian Mayor Albina Esmali has also expressed her gratitude for the assistance her
town received from DTI.
Thank you very much DTI for the help extended to us. We can now start conducting
our training on pangasi wine packaging and preservation, the lady mayor said.
Five projects were approved for Zamboanga del Sur, two coming from Kumalarang and
three from Ramon Magsaysay. The projects include mat weaving and handy craft
production for Kumalarang amounting to P570,000.00; while projects for Ramon
Magsaysay include One Town-One Product (OTOP) store costing P712,500.00,
establishment of production shop for novelty items amounting to P190,000.00, and
bamboo craft development pegged at P380,000.00.
Ramon Magsaysay Mayor Leonilo Borinaga Sr. could not hide his elation over the
approval of their proposed project, as the project would really help alleviate poverty in
the area.
I cannot express enough my feelings now that we have finally received this assistance.
When DTI-Zamboanga del Sur Provincial Director Marichu Atay informed me that the
funds was already released, I told her that you (DTI) are the first government agency to
have given us assistance among all government agencies that we approached. We see
this as a means to alleviate poverty in our area. We have the resources but we lack
livelihood. Now we know we can have the support that we need to fund our projects for
the benefit of the people. Our thanks to DTI for all the help, Mayor Borinaga exclaimed.
Enabling Business, Empowering Consumers
REGIONAL OFFICE IX
4th Floor VHW Bldg., Veterans Avenue, 7000 Zamboanga City, Philippines
Telephone: (6362) 955-3237 | 991-3238 Fax: (6362) 991-3232 e-Mail: R09@dti.gov.ph
www.dti.gov.ph

Mayor Eugenio Salva Jr. of Kumalarang town also thanked DTI for the budgetary
support allocated for his towns projects.
We are thankful to DTI for giving us funding that will help our people. This will
encourage our mat weavers even more to continue with their craft, the soft-spoken
mayor said.
The Municipality of Malangas in Zamboanga Sibugay Province, on the other hand, had
its livelihood training project on soap making and production approved with budget
allocation of P425,000 with DTI-9 as the project implementer.
The turnover ceremony was conducted last week with DTI-9 Regional Director Sitti
Amina M. Jain personally handing over the ceremonial checks to the local chief
executives and representatives of the said towns.
A proposal on the establishment of a bio-diesel processing plant for the marginalized
and small coco farmers in Salug, Zamboanga del Norte worth P6 million, and a mini oil
mill in Ramon Magsaysay amounting to P1.8 million are still awaiting approval from DTI
head office.
DTI-9 Industry Development Division Chief Grace Aduca said, the approval of
proposed projects amounting to P1 million and up is with our head office. Less than a
million, we can do it in the regional level.
The Grassroots Participatory Budgeting (GPB) is the national governments program
that makes governance and resources allocation more responsive to local needs,
thereby, contributing to poverty reduction and inclusive growth by increasing the
citizens access to local service delivery through demand-driven budget planning, and
strengthening government accountability in local public service provision.
For this year, the national government has allocated P20.047-B for the implementation
of 1,226 projects proposed all over the country. (FPG/MVC/DTI-9)

Approved for release:

SITTI AMINA M. JAIN, Ph.D.
OIC-Regional Director

Enabling Business, Empowering Consumers

REGIONAL OFFICE IX
4th Floor VHW Bldg., Veterans Avenue, 7000 Zamboanga City, Philippines
Telephone: (6362) 955-3237 | 991-3238 Fax: (6362) 991-3232 e-Mail: R09@dti.gov.ph
www.dti.gov.ph