COTABATO CITY, Philippines - A local business chamber and the Department of Trade and Industry launched on Thursday the Business Resource Center (BRC) in Cotabato City as a arm for advisory and extension services needed to boost the local economy.
The Muslim Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Kutawato Inc., chaired by entrepreneur Sandra Siang, will oversee the operation of the BRC.
The DTI's office in Region 12 provided the BRC with office equipment, including laptop and desktop computers with complete accessories, a photo copier, a Nikon camera, a scanner and an LCD projector to make efficient its technical and advisory assistance to merchants and people still planning to put up profitable business ventures.
The DTI-12's equipment package for the newly-established Cotabato City BRC was part of the department's Shared Services Facility program (SSF).
The SSF is a support intervention meant to help empower local industries and communal entities engaged in economic activities.
The DTI-12 had earlier provided food industries and agricultural processing establishments in different parts of Central Mindanao with SSF equipment.
Among the pioneer beneficiaries of the DTI-12's SSF project in the region were a women's cooperative producing exportable sugar made from coconut sap, and a rubber research facility in the University of Southern Mindanao in North Cotabato’s Carmen and Kabacan towns, respectively.
The ceremonial launching of the BRC, located along Jose Lim, Sr. Street, was jointly officiated by Siang, who is engaged in a hardware and construction supply business, and officer-in-charge Carlito Nuñez of the DTI-12's office in Cotabato City and his staff.
The event was witnessed by physician Danda Juanday, who is President of the Metro Cotabato Chamber of Commerce and Industry Foundation, Inc. and Shalimar Candao, regional assistant tourism secretary of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, and employees of local banks.
Nuñez said he is confident the BRC can help maximize the DTI's technical and advisory services to clients.