Ginoong Pangulo, siyamnapu’t siyam na porsyento (99%) ng mga enterprises sa ating bansa ay micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). According to the 2020 list of establishments of the Philippine Statistics Authority, they generated more than five million jobs or 62.66% of the country’s total employment. Moreover, they account for 25% of the country’s total exports revenue. [1]
Maraming batas ang ipinasa ng Kongreso upang matulungan ang mga MSME at maraming programa din ang ipinatutupad ng iba’t ibang sangay ng pamahalaan upang tugunan ang kanilang pangangailangan. Sa kabila nito, hindi maitatanggi na marami pa ding mga programang kailangang ayusin at paigtingin upang lalong maging mas epektibo at kapaki-pakinabang ang kontribusyon ng mga msme sa ating ekonomiya.
The Department of Trade and Industry or DTI identified some of the challenges being faced by MSMEs which includes “limited financial capacity, poor market information and lack of access to innovative techniques and advanced technology”[2]
In response to this, the DTI launched the shared service facility or SSF in 2013 to “improve MSME competitiveness by providing machinery, equipment, tools, systems, accessories, and other auxiliary items, skills, and knowledge under a shared system.”
DTI’s SSF was able to extend invaluable support to the MSMEs in the various parts of the country. as reported by the DTI as of February 2023, “the government has put in place a total of p3.19 billion since 2013 and funded the establishment of 3,249 facilities with over 500,000 MSMEs assisted and 200,000 employment generated nationwide.”
Ang programang ito ay karapat-dapat lamang bigyan ng sapat na suporta at lalo pang paigtingin ng ating pamahalaan para sa kapakibangan ng ating mga kababayan.
With the consent of the good sponsor, the chairperson of the subcommittee on Senate Bill Nos. 761 and 1897, Senator Sonny Angara, and the chairperson of the Committee on Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship Senator Mark A. Villar, this representation wishes to be a co-author and co-sponsor of Senate Bill No. 2021 under committee report no. 59 or the bill institutionalizing the shared service facilities (SSF) project for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
The institutionalization of the SSF will provide the much-needed support to the enterprises especially in rural areas where tools, equipment and technology are insufficent. It will certainly strengthen the capabilities and widen the market reach of the businesses in our country. In the long run, they will redound to the improvement of the living conditions of our people and to the economic development of our country.
Again, it will be this representation’s honor to be a co-author and co-sponsor of this measure that will definitely improve the lives of the filipinos.
Thank you very much, Mr. President.
[1] MSME Statistics | Department of Trade and Industry Philippines (dti.gov.ph)
[2] Shared Service Facilities | Department of Trade and Industry Philippines (dti.gov.ph)