Program for SMEs nearing its end
The duration of the Small and Medium Enterprise Development for Sustainable Employment Program (SMEDSEP) that aims to improve the business and investment climate for small and medium industry in the country will depend on the governments of Germany and the Philippines.
GTZ (SMEDSEP) Visayas Coordinator Volker Steigerwald yesterday said the project is already on its second phase and it will end on August 2009. Those who already availed of the projects are provinces of Leyte, Cebu and Negros Occidental.
Steigerwald said the continuity of the program would be based on the outcome and on the decisions of the two governments. They are closely monitoring the results of the project. They are hoping to continue the third phase of the project in Mindanao. The program is a grant from the German government.
The grant is in form of technical assistance to the Philippine government. He refused to comment on how much is spent for the technical assistance provided for by the German government.
Steigerwald was in the city for the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) and launching of the Business Development Services (BDS). BDS is a program in line with the SMEDSEP in improving the framework conditions for private sector development.
In Iloilo City, the SMEDSEP-BDS partners are the University of the Philippines-Institute of Fish Processing Technology, Central Philippine University and Mixes Processed Foods. They were chosen from among the number of interested parties to tie up with the GTZ and DTI.
The BDS will target the sectors of agriculture, aquaculture, processed foods, loom weaving, GTH or the gifts, toys and housewares and tourism.