The management and provision of resources on community businesses is a great aid in navigating significant challenges that they will be facing in a time of crisis. The Shared Service Facilities (SSF) Project is an initiative of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to essentially boost product innovation of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). This project provides resources such as machinery, equipment, and tools under a shared system to improve the competitiveness of MSMEs.

The Department of Trade and Industry, in partnership with the LAMAC Multi-Purpose Cooperative (LMPC) as its cooperator, launched the SSF Garments Production in Lamac, Pinamungajan last September 2019. The DTI-funded program provided P604,620.00 worth of equipment and machinery for the garments production which include: 20 units of manual sewing machines, 3 units of Hi-speed sewing machines, and 11 units of edging machines. With this equipment, the LMPC was able to enhance its production capacity as they increase the number of members provided with viable employment.                     

Early 2020, nations were trembled and disturbed by the COVID-19 strike. The government was forced to augment resources and reinforce restrictions on movements as part of combatting the emerging infectious disease. The experts have set preventive measures such as social distancing and wearing of face masks in the absence of a cure.  Eventually, the situation was raised to pandemic due to the acceleration of cases and death tolls across nations. With the rising number of cases, the pandemic has also spurred demand for facemasks and other PPEs – that caused its shortage and increased the price in the international market and local markets.

Despite the uncertainty brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, the LMPC never waived to express their desire to help. Guided with their mission in responding to the needs of the vulnerable sector, the LMPC through the SSF – Garments Production was able to prototype and develop Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

The cooperator utilized the SSF as a main resource to produce PPEs for our fearless front liners in fighting the war against infectious disease. 

The LMPC was able to help address the need for PPEs in the community and produced washable facemasks beginning March 2020 and donated these 2, 000 pieces of face masks to their members, schools, construction workers, Pinamungajan frontliners, LGU-Pinamungajan, and RHUs.  From March-June 2020, the LPMC-CYP Garment Center was also able to sell 16,124 masks to various buyers at P30.00 to P35.00 each, with total sales of Php 488,705.00.

For the cooperator, this SSF project has become a prudent way of mobilizing micro, small and medium enterprises’ inclusive growth by giving access to alternative sources of livelihood, capability enhancement, and to diversify more products in response to changing environment.

 

By: DTI-Region 7