ILOILO CITY – Mayor Jerry P. Treñas urged the public to support local products.
Yesterday, the city mayor issued Executive Order (EO) No. 120-2022 supporting the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) campaign, “Buy Local, Go Local,” which promotes locally manufactured products in Iloilo City.
“Buy Local, Go Local” campaign particularly aims to help micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) that make up the biggest part of the Philippine economy.
“To accelerate economic developments and build a resilient local economy, Iloilo City, through the years, promotes investments and enhances the metro as business-enabling environment attracting individuals, traders, merchants, corporations, and other ventures to engage business activities in our city, essentially supportive of the patronization of locally-produced goods or local products,” read part of Treñas’ EO.
In supporting DTI’s campaign, Treñas cited Republic Act No. 6977, otherwise known as “Magna Carta for Small Enterprise” which recognizes that small and medium scale enterprises have the potential for more employment generation and economic growth and therefore can help provide a self-sufficient industrial foundation for the country. It is hereby declared the policy of the state to promote, support, strengthen, and encourage the growth and development of small and medium enterprises in all productive sectors of the economy particularly agri-based enterprises.
The DTI’s campaign encourages Filipinos to aid struggling Philippine MSMEs by buying and consuming fresh produce especially from the local farmers and goods manufactured in the country, stimulating demand on these products to help the economy recover from the crisis brought by the global pandemic – a timeless advocacy that is a practical way to show support for local craftsmen and entrepreneurs.
“Iloilo City promotes policies and practices that will encourage local investment to reinforce and strengthen the prowess of Iloilo City as a center of trade, commerce and industry, to include the promotion of local products and supporting the patronization of these locally manufactured products,” Treñas stressed./PN
