Capiz MSMEs have good news to tell
ROXAS CITY – Horticultural entrepreneurs in Capiz belonging to Capiz Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Inc. (CMPCI) have kept their export market for cutfoliage in Japan and hope to break into the South Korean market.
The group has been shipping cutfoliage to Japan since 2006.
The Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) here reported that the operations of the village-level coconut oil mill in Barangay Ondoy, Ivisan, Capiz have revved up after soft copra prices and inventories stopped the smoke coming out of the mill’s chimney early this year.
Local coconut farmers would be able to reap additional income from copra by planting glutinous corn intercrops, which the PCA would be introducing to them soon.
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has ongoing Basic Entrepreneurship Seminars to produce new entrepreneurs under the government’s Comprehensive Livelihood and Emergency Employment Program (CLEEP).
Conducted every Tuesday at their provincial office here headed by Provincial Director Ermelinda Pollentes, the seminars have attracted more than 1,000 participants composed mostly of students, housewives, micro entrepreneurs, farmers, and the unemployed.
These were some of the positive developments in the micro, small and medium enterprises sector that were reported during the meeting of the Provincial MSME Development Council held June 5 at the Provincial Capitol.
The council is assessing and formulating the provincial MSME development plan in line with the thrust of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to promote and development the sector as source of investments, jobs and livelihood and as driver of economic growth in the countryside.
The President has been complementing this domestic effort by reaching to other countries to encourage their businessmen to invest or have business with the Philippines. This the President has done lately during her visits to South Korea and Russia.
Making a pitch among South Korea’s businessmen recently, President Arroyo pushed the Philippines as the best investment haven in the Southeast Asian Region (ASEAN) owing to its stable economic environment.
“We are among the Best Values for Investment in the Region in areas like mining, energy, bio-fuels, technology, tourism and business process outsourcing,” said the President.
The Capiz PMSMED Council is also making preparations for the celebration of MSMED Week on July 6-12, 2009, which will be highlighted, among others, by a One Town, One Product (OTOP) Congress that will showcase successful MSMEs and their contributions to the community its economy. (PIA-JSC)