By Alfonso T. Ruda
DIPOLOG CITY - Three towns of Zamboanga del Norte have recently received a financial assistance from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) through its Grassroots Participatory Budgeting (GPB) program during the Rubber quality Improvement Advocacy seminar at the top Plaza Hotel here.
In a simple turnover ceremony, DTI-9 Regional Director Sitti Amina M. Jain, together with Engr. Noel S. Bazan, provincial director, DTI-Zamboanga del Norte handed over the checks totaling P685 thousand to the mayors of Baliguian, Piñan, and Sindangan, this province.
Baliguian Mayor Albina A. Esmali received P285 thousand for the munncipality’s Pangasi Rice Wine Packaging and Training, Piñan Mayor Jose Belleno got P200 thousand for the Business Permit and Licensing System, and P130 thousand for Sindangan Mayor Florentino Z. Sy for the upgrading of the municipality’s Business Permit and Licensing System (BLPS).
GPB, formerly known as Bottom’s Up Budgeting (BUB), is one of the poverty-alleviation program of the Aquino administration aimed at addressing poverty problem confronting the Filipino people.
Meanwhile, Salug town, one of the recipients of GPB is still complying with the requirements set by DTI for the establishment of a Bio-Diesel Processing Plant in the said municipality. The project is worth P6 million.