LGU SUPPORT. Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon M. Lopez, during a press conference held at the San Lazaro Leisure Park Conference Hall in Carmona, Cavite on Tuesday, May 29, 2018), assures micro, small and medium entrepreneurs (MSMEs) “will grow, glow and go” as they join DTI’s various services and programs on seminars, mentoring sessions and learn entrepreneurial concepts, . (Photo by Saul Pa-a)
CARMONA, Cavite -- Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon M. Lopez has mulled for an Executive Order from President Rodrigo Roa Duterte to enjoin Local Government Units (LGUs) to institutionalize their support to the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and boost the local investment and economic environment in the provinces, cities and towns.
In Tuesday’s press conference at the two-day third pilot run of “Pack! Pinas” for Luzon, Lopez noted the proposals of Carmona Mayor Dahlia Loyola who graced the occasion’s opening program.
Loyola, who is also president of the League of Mayors of the Philippines (LMP)-Cavite chapter shared her proposal to institutionalize the support to the MSMEs by the LGUs given the national government assistance and boost their local investment and economic council.
“It is a possibility to have an EO on this especially if this would be a national program. It we think about it, all the legislations let’s say on financing where 10 percent of the LGU budget could be allocated to their MSMEs. So far, there is no legislation or Executive Order yet that will really mandate LGUs to allocate 10 percent of the budget for MSMEs,” Lopez said.
Lopez expressed elation that both the MSMEs and LGUs in the Calabarzon Region are upbeat on the Department of Trade and Industry's (DTI) new services on labeling, branding, packaging and marketing to sustain support to them so that their products will stand out, increase exports and uplift the lives of every Filipinos especially from the ranks of the MSMEs.
“But, we can start with a memorandum of undertaking (MOU) with LGUs first and when this will graduate into a national program, a national policy could be crafted for LGUs to have institutionalized program for MSMEs so that this program will not only come from the national agencies,” he explained.
He said, however, that this proposal will depend on the industry and hard work among LGUs that are receptive to the program.
“If they were hard-working or business-friendly like Mayor Dahlia (Loyola) of Carmona who shared her programs and also those from several mayors then this would be a good proposal. But not all (mayors), because there are those who are not supportive, it is even difficult to do business in their areas. Although, this is mandated, then it would do well to have this circularized,” said Lopez.
The DTI Secretary also informed that the department’s program innovation on labeling, packaging, branding and marketing is just one part on the product itself like product improvement but there are several other programs on technical assistance, technology support so the product’s shelf life will be prolonged as well as assistance on design and on micro-financing for MSMEs.
“The MSMEs support is assured with the PHP2 billion allocation this year and another PHP4 billion for next year through the proposed bill with the help of our Congress legislators,” he said.
He pointed out the micro-financing assistance through President Duterte’s initiative on “Pondo sa Pagbabago sa Pagnenegosyo (P3)” where the national budget is worked out by Congress.
“We also institutionalized the market through Go Lokal! and the “Philippines One Town, One Product” (OTOP) hub for the locally-made products by the MSMEs and the continuous product enhancements through the DTI’s regional operations group to produce quality products which could be displayed or sold in the hub like a “pasalubong” (take-home present) center.
Lopez also announced that DTI will embark next on the logistics part while sustaining the department’s services assistance on marketing, financing, training, seminars, “Kapatid Mentor Me” (KMME) program through the Negosyo Centers and the packaging pilot run.
“We are connecting the needs and requirements of the MSMEs and hopefully we can work out something like a proposal on logistics where a space in the cargo container would be allocated for MSME boxes in transporting their products, and we are also studying the transport costs,” he said.
“On the Go Lokal!, we have negotiated with the malls to provide free space for MSME products to be displayed to give them the chance to be discovered,” the Trade and Industry chief said, adding a similar directive from the President could be proposed requesting supermarkets and groceries to allocate at least five shelves for the products of the MSMEs to provide them market access.
He assured that President Duterte wants a 360-degree turn for DTI’s enhanced programs and support services for MSMEs through awareness generating activities via the media to reach out to all Filipinos especially affording micro-financing to small entrepreneurs like the market and sidewalk vendors.
“Magkakaroon na sila ng puhunan, magkaroon sila ng magandang packaging para aangat ang kanilang negosyo. Lahat may pinagsisimulan, mula sa pinamakamaliit, while others go into manufacturing and processing, may magandang label so nagpo-progress (They will also have business capital, good packaging so their small businesses will prosper. All is set to a headstart, from the small ones, while others go into manufacturing, with good label and they are progressing),” Lopez said.
He reasoned that the government’s micro-financing serves to spur the small businesses to level up because as small and budding entrepreneurs, they will also think for room for improvements, creative and “the journey continues as they set their vision on how to make their businesses flourish, setting target and how to achieve it.”
He encouraged MSMEs to attend seminars, mentoring programs of the DTI and by other sponsoring groups so they can learn entrepreneurial concepts not in terms of embarking on livelihood but rather on entrepreneurship.
“And then you will grow, glow and go,” Lopez remarked and elicited laughter from the media representatives and the MSME participants. (PNA)
