DTI to set up packaging plant for toys, houseware exporters

THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) will set up a packaging facility for members of the Gifts Toys Houseware Foundation (GTH Foundation) in Mandaue City and an abaca-stripping facility in Balamban within the year.

DTI Regional Director Asteria Caberte said the facilities would be implemented under the Shared Services Facilities (SSFs) project.

Caberte said the SSF project aims to improve the productivity of entrepreneurs by addressing the gaps and bottlenecks in the value chain of priority industry clusters by providing processing machines, equipment or tools for the common use of identified beneficiaries.

SSF PROJECT

“The SSF project enhances the competitiveness of priority industry clusters through the use of quality and productivity enhancing machinery and equipment. It develops market-driven industries in support to the National Industry Cluster Capacity Enhancement Project (NICCEP),” she said.

The DTI has P29.584 million approved budget by the national government to fund the project to establish the facilities that should help entrepreneurs grow and generate more employment in the region, which is one of the government’s strategy to achieve inclusive growth.

This facilities will house equipment that can be used by enterprises that are attached to organizations like cooperatives or associations Caberte said.

“This is really to aid them in production both quality and quantity because some cannot export either because of quality or that they cannot produce the volume, so the facility can help them achieve these,” said Caberte.

TARGET LAUNCH

Caberte said they are targeting to launch more facilities in Cebu and Negros Oriental by August to September this year.

The more than 100 members of the GTH Foundation will benefit from the packaging facility.

The DTI had already launched last July 12, a meat processing facility in Bohol and a plant to hasten bayong production in Siquijor.