PRESIDENT Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. urged big businesses to help in the national government’s efforts to develop micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
Marcos made the call at an event in Roxas Boulevard, Parañaque City yesterday.
He said small businesses do not fall into any category of economic activity “because they’re way below the radar.”
“These are the people that we are trying to help. And what we are trying to do here is, first, having recognized that the economies of the world, the economies of different countries, and the global economy has been fundamentally changed by the pandemic,” Marcos said in his speech.
He added: “And that is why we have to do different things now. And that’s why we were trying the basic concept behind this is that we are trying to create an ecosystem for startups and that is really what we are trying to do. We are trying to help small businesses who have a good idea.”
The President explained the impact of investing in the MSMEs and nano-enterprises to the Philippine economy as he emphasized that 99% of the country’s businesses are MSMEs, with around 63% of the labor force employed by it.
“So, there is no way that if we are trying to help the economy, if we are trying to transform the economy, that we do not attend to that enormous slice of our economy. Hindi lang ‘yung malalaking korporasyon. Marami silang maitutulong. Ngunit ang gobyerno ay kailangang pumasok at tumulong to encourage such programs as ‘Kanegosyo,'” Marcos said.
He also said most Filipinos are not lazy as they are willing to work even with the provision of assistance from the government.
“Karamihan ng Filipino gustong magtrabaho. Kahit na binibigyan natin ng AICS (Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations), kahit binibigyan natin ng TUPAD (Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers), kahit binibigyan natin ng ayuda, at some point ang Pinoy sasabihin, ‘Okay, maraming salamat. Nakatulong ‘yan pero gusto kong magtrabaho. Hindi ko gusto ‘yung basta nag-aantay lang ako ng handout.’ Wala sa ugali ng Pilipino ‘yun,” he said. (GMA Integrated News)
