ROXAS CITY, Capiz – Micro, small and medium entrepreneurs in this province were urged to join this year's Department of Trade and Industry's Star Awards.

Capiz DTI Provincial Director Ermelinda Pollentes announced that the Capiz Provincial Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Council is now accepting nominations for the SME Rising Star and the SME Star Elite Awards.

Each category will have three awardees, explained Pollentes, one each for micro, small and medium enterprise per province.

She explained that the SME Star programs aims to support and strengthen the capabilities of MSMEs across the country as well as recognize the outstanding enterprises that have shown the most remarkable achievements in growing their businesses to be globally competitive enterprises.

For additional details, those interested can visit the DTI office in the province.

The deadline for submission of nominations is on May 31 this year.

Last year, the Capiz Small Coconut Farmers Marketing Cooperative (CASCOFAMCO) was recognized as outstanding small enterprise in Capiz by DTI and the Provincial SMED Council chaired by Danny So Chan.

The cooperative was recognized during the province's celebration of the Small and Medium Enterprise Development (SMED) week.

The CASCOFAMCO, which belongs to the small enterprise category with an investment capital of P3 million to P15 million and the lone entry to said category, was chosen by the Provincial Search Committee under the Rising Star Award.

Pollentes noted that the program also promotes healthy competition among businesses in the province and at the same time, encourage businessmen to keep their businesses growing.

Moreover, she noted that MSMEs is the backbone of the domestic economy, recognizing that said small firms have been providing employment to 61.2 percent of the country's total labor force.*PIA