PALO, Leyte, (PNA) — The Dept. of Trade and Industry is eyeing to generate at least 4,487 direct and indirect jobs from deployment of shared service facility (SSF) in Eastern Visayas.
Ma. Delia M. Corsiga, chief of the DTI regional business development division said the project designed to uplift the condition of small and medium enterprises, has an allocation of P29.97 million for 2013.
“These facilities will be established in economically-depressed areas to help people augment their income and generate new jobs,” Corsiga said.
Of the 4,487 jobs, 2,387 are direct and 2,100 are indirect. The SSF project is targeting to benefit 3,857 SMEs. The trade department has approved 32 SSF project proposals.
As of this week, five SSF projects have been launched in four provinces with a cost of P1.15 million.
These are milkfish processing equipments in Babatngon, Leyte; coco coir twining and weaving machine in Caibiran, Biliran; sardines and seaweed bottling in Sta. Margarita, Samar; coco coir equipment for a decorticating plant in Lope de Vega, Northern Samar; and handloom and twining machines for geo-nets production in Javier, Leyte.
Within this month, the DTI is eyeing to launch SSF projects in Baybay City, Abuyog in Leyte, Dulag in Leyte and Sta. Margarita in Samar.
For 2013, the DTI has identified 90 SSF with 501 modern equipments for launching.
Delia M. Corsiga said that of the P29.97 million worth of projects approved, only P15 million will be deployed until the end of 2013.
At least P7.8 million funds have been utilized to procure facilities as of mid-September.
“We would want to launch all projects within the year but we were told to wait for new mechanisms in the procurement of facilities and selection of reliable cooperators. This is to ensure that funds will not be wasted,” Corsiga said.
Among major projects that are up for launching this year is a P8 million retort packaging facility in the main campus of Eastern Visayas State University. The Philippine International Trading Corporation is scheduled to deliver equipment within this month.
The facility offers technology that extends shelf life of native delicacies such as moron and binagol, with the application of packaging technology.
Of the 609 priority villages for SSF deployment nationwide, at least 100 are in Eastern Visayas, considering the high poverty incidence.
There are three priority products – processed food; gifts, decors and house wares and coco coir production.
“Our small producers are banking on the growing demand for geotextile nets in the implementation infrastructure projects. It will be used by the Dept. of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to prevent soil erosions,” she added.
Maria Jesusa Dechos, DTI SSF focal person for Region 8 said using the facility is not for free. SMEs have to pay a minimal amount to cooperators for maintenance of facilities.
“After the project turnover, the association should prepare manual of operation, which also outlines sustainability plan. The DTI will continue to monitor the project. If the cooperator won’t be able to effectively manage the facility, this will be transferred to other associations,” she said.
The cooperators will have the option to buy the equipment three years after the turnover.
SSF is a strategic complementary project that intends to balance off existing efforts to achieve inclusive growth as envisioned by the current administration. It entails the setting up of common service facilities or production centers for certain processes to give SMEs access to better technology.