The CDA – La Union Provincial Office partners with the Department of Trade and Industry – La Union Provincial Office to implement the Negosyo Serbisyosa Barangay (NSB) Program, which aims to provide assistance to small businesses in rural municipalities through barangay help desks. As part of the program, the CDA discusses the importance of cooperatives in empowering communities and encouraging self-reliance. Over the course of the five-year program, the CDA and DTI conducted 27 runs of the NSB program across nine municipalities, reaching a total of 2,806 participants. The partnership aims to continue supporting the government's efforts to promote economic development and alleviate poverty.

1. Bringing the CDA’s services to the grassroots through the
Negosyo Serbisyosa Barangay
Program of the Government
By :Bermie C. Membrere
PCDS-CDA, La Union
The CDA – La Union Provincial Office in its desire to bring its services closer to the people,
joins the Department of Trade and Industry – La Union Provincial Office in the implementation
of the Negosyo Serbisyosa Barangay (NSB) Program .
The NSB aims to bring government closer to small businesses in the 4th to 6th class
municipalities and boost assistance through the establishment of barangay help desks for
countryside businesses to flourish. It intends to maximize the entrepreneurs’ potential until
they can stand on their own. It is also aimed at maximizing the potential of barangays to
become economically independent and make them more effective partners in the attainment
of national goals.
One of the ways to achieve the program’s objectives is thru the activation and formation of
cooperatives. In every run of the NSB, the CDA discusses to the participants the importance of
having strong and vibrant cooperatives in the community and what it can do to better the lives
of the people especially those in the lower echelon of society. Thru the lectures and
consultancy being made during NSB’s , people in the community were challenged to become
self-reliant and were also encouraged to start their own enterprises through their
involvement in the existing cooperative in their areas or creating a cooperative that would
address their needs.

2. Cognizant therefore to CDA’s mandate to foster the creation and growth of cooperative as a
practical vehicle for promoting self-reliance and harnessing people power towards the
attainment of economic development and social justice especially in the countryside, CDA-La
Union Provincial Office became the partner of DTI in its NSB journey.
The NSB is a 5-year program, for 2019 at least 20% of the 138 barangaysunder the 4th
-6th
class
municipalities or a total of 27 barangays will be covered. Thus 27 runs of the NSB were
conducted and concluded in the 9 covered municipalities of La Union: Beguiling, Burgos, Caba,
Pogo, San Gabriel, and Sto. Tomas, Santo, Sudipen and Tubao, with a total 2,806 participants.
The coordination and partnership of CDA and DTI doesn’t stop with the implementation of the
27 NSB Programs, rather it’s just started as the voice of the people especially the marginalized
sector has just been being heard and recognized during the NSB activities. A lot of things are
still to be done. However, with the convergence efforts of agencies in supporting the
government’s program on poverty eradication and inclusive growth, a better tomorrow is seen
for the Filipino people.