CITY OF MATI, Davao Oriental – In remote communities where long travel times, costly transportation, and unreliable internet access make it difficult to avail of government services, local business owners are often left with limited support.
To bridge this gap, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Davao Oriental Provincial Office has launched its mobile outreach activity “DTI on Wheels: Ramdam sa Komunidad” aimed at delivering vital services directly to underserved areas.
In celebration of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Week, the program rolled out its first leg in Barangay Tubaon, Tarragona on July 9, bringing services closer to residents who previously had limited access. These included business name registration, linkage to financing institutions, business counseling, and consumer education closer to the people.
“This activity is designed to really bring the services to barangays that require a lot of effort, especially with higher travel costs,” said DTI Davao Oriental acting division chief for business development and promotions Domingo S. Cruz, Jr. “As a government agency, we are committed to making our services “ramdam” by the people. Today, we can help you register your business names, facilitate loan applications, and empower you as consumers”.
The activity was made possible through the support of the local government unit of Tarragona and the barangay officials of Tubaon.
Aligned with this year’s MSME Week theme, “Asenso Negosyo, Angat Kabuhayan, Bagong Pilipinas!”, the outreach successfully processed 70 business name registrations. The participants were also treated to free sikwate as “Pa-sikwate para sa MSME ug Konsyumante” in a nod to World Chocolate Day, highlighting the region’s local cacao products, particularly San Isidro’s tablea.
By working closely with local government units, DTI aims to expand the reach of this program to more communities across Davao Oriental, ensuring that government support is not only available but also accessible and truly felt at the grassroots level.
In line with strengthening the cacao industry, the Cacao Industry Association of Davao Oriental was recently organized to address the needs of the local cacao farmers. With the support of the RAPID Growth project, cacao rehabilitation and rejuvenation tools have already been distributed to 159 households and to three farmer organizations to boost productivity and promote the chocolate production in the province.
To date, 2,223 MSMEs in Davao Oriental have been assisted through various DTI programs such as the Negosyo Center, One Town, One Product (OTOP), Shared Service Facility (SSF), Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP), and Rural Agro-Industrial Partnership for Inclusive Development and Growth (RAPID Growth) Project. The province has already conducted 122 trainings, supported 330 MSMEs in e-commerce, and onboarded 7 mentees in the Kapatid Mentor ME Program.
For more information about DTI Davao Oriental and its services, you may visit the DTI Davao Oriental Provincial Office or contact us through our Facebook page, telephone numbers: (087) 388-3735/ (087) 811-7180, or email: r11.davaooriental@dti.gov.ph.DTI11
