Caloocan City Mayor Dale Gonzalo Malapitan has announced that 184 “micro-business” owners in the city have each received P10,000 financial assistance from the Department of Trade’s (DTI) Negosyo Serbisyo sa Barangay–Pangkabuhayan para sa Pagbangon sa Ginhawa (NSB-PPG).
The beneficiaries were selected and screened by the City Economic Investment Promotion Office (CEIPO) among fire victims and those adversely affected by the COVID pandemic.
According to CEIPO officer-in-charge Alma Bucalen, the beneficiaries were mostly owners of small stalls, sari-sari stores, food carts, barbershops, computer shops and salons.
“Sinikap po ng ating tanggapan na matulungan ang mga naapektuhan ng sunog o nahirapan sa kanilang pangkabuhayan dulot ng pandemya. Sa ilalim po ng direktiba ni Mayor Along at sa suporta ng DTI, aagapay po tayo sa pagbangon ng mga kababayan nating nasunugan o mayroong maliliit na negosyo,” Bucalen said.
Malapitan said the city government has been aggressively pushing economic recovery, adding that the program also aims to assist consumers amid rising prices of basic commodities.
“Kahit unti-unti na po tayong nakakabalik sa ating normal na pamumuhay, nais pa rin nating alalayan ang ating micro-business owners ngayong patuloy na tumataas ng presyo ng mga bilihin. Hangad natin ang sama-sama nating pagbangon sa krisis,” he said.
The mayor thanked DTI for helping his constituents, and gave assurance that the program would be expanded to cover more Caloocan residents.