By: Rodrigo S. Victoria
Naval, Biliran (24 November) – Eager to know what good the law on small business enterprise would bring them, businessmen engage in the different business enterprises in the province of Biliran attend a forum on Republic Act 9178 otherwise known as the Barangay Micro Business Enterprises (BMBE) Act of 2002.
BMBE refers to any business entity or enterprise engaged in the production, processing or manufacturing of products or commodities, including agro-processing, trading and services, whose total assets shall not be more than Three Million Pesos (P3,000, 000.00) including those coming from loans. The amount though, is exclusive of the land where the business entity is located, its plant and equipment.
The BMBE forum was conducted by the office of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) led by Provincial Director Celerina T. Bato in coordination with the concerned national government agencies and government financial institutions directly involved in the implementation of the law. The activity was held on November 19 at the NIT Audio –Visual Room in the municipality of Naval. The same forum was conducted on November 21 in the municipality of Caibiran at the town’s auditorium.
The forum was aimed at encouraging the formation and growth of barangay micro-business enterprises which serve as effective seedbeds of Filipino entrepreneurial talents and integrating those in the informal sector with the mainstream economy.
Likewise, the forum was also attended by the local chief executives and concerned department heads of local government units.
Meanwhile, Kawayan Mayor Rodolfo J. Espina, the only local chief executive present in the Naval BMBE forum, inquired whether the women’s and fisherfolks’ group organized in his municipality can avail of additional financial assistance aside from the financial assistance he has extended to these groups.
Engr. Jorge Modesto, Senior Trade and Industry Development Specialist of DTI-Biliran informed that they can avail of the financial assistance under the BMBE provided they are registered with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in case of an association, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) if it is a corporation and in the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) if it is a cooperative.
Engr. Modesto added that DTI-Biliran will extend technical assistance to interested groups or individuals in the community who are willing to avail of the services provided under the BMBE law in cooperation with national government agencies and government financial institutions involved in the implementation of the law.
He also assured the participants in the two separate forum to intensify the BMBE in the province of Biliran in order to hasten the economic development in the countryside. (PIA-Biliran)
