Caluya: The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has initiated efforts to enhance accessibility to business services for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the remote island barangay of Semirara, Caluya, by inaugurating a Negosyo Center.

According to Philippines News Agency, DTI Antique provincial director Mary Jade Gonzales mentioned that the Negosyo Center, which became operational on September 2, offers a range of services including business registration assistance, information, training, financing, and market linkages to MSMEs. Gonzales highlighted that Semirara is the first barangay in Antique to have a Negosyo Center with an assigned business counselor, a development made possible through the initiative of Barangay Captain Catherine Lim, who provided the necessary office space.

With approximately 1,000 registered businesses in Semirara, the center is expected to also cater to residents of other island barangays in Caluya. This development follows the establishment and full operationalization of Negosyo Centers in all 18 municipalities of Antique. Gonzales noted that Antique was the first province in Western Visayas to achieve this milestone in 2018.

In addition, graduates of the DTI Kapatid Mentor Me (KMME) program in Antique have taken a significant step by forming a credit cooperative aimed at providing financial support to fellow entrepreneurs. The Kami Antique Credit Cooperative, which launched its office in San Jose de Buenavista, is the first of its kind in Western Visayas, comprising 75 KMME graduates as members. The cooperative, registered with the Cooperative Development Authority on May 19, 2025, intends to offer loans that MSME members can utilize as business capital.

Gonzales expressed that the cooperative has the potential to enhance MSME livelihoods by providing necessary capital, thereby supporting business expansion, job creation, and income generation within local communities.