MSME Summit focuses on making MSMEs sustainable

The National Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Summit held at the Philippine International Convention Center last July 16, focused on measures to achieve a sustainable and inclusive growth for the country’s small businesses , with a view to making them innovative and globally competitive.

The Summit’s objectives are aligned with the APEC’s commitment to the achievement of open and free trade and investment in the region by the year 2020.

The Summit also featured “mentor me online” and “mentor me on wheels” programs available to MSMEs requiring technical, marketing and other assistance.

Trade and Industry SecretaryRamon Lopez announced a proposal to institutionalize, by legislative mandate, the Pondo sa Pagbabago at Pag-asenso (P3) , which has been lending to some 83,000 registered small business borrowers since 2017. P3 was established in line with the presidential directive of eliminating the 5-6 system of usurious informal lending. An additional P1.5 billion to fund P3 will also be put in place with the new budget, Secretary Lopez added.

The SERDEF was represented at the Summit by Trustees Paz H. Diaz, Serenidad F. Lavador, Lucy S. Lazo, Arlene E. Liberal, Melchor C. Morandarte, Daryl Vincent Petas, and Jose P. Tabbada.

SERDEF Trustees Jose Tabbada, Serenidad Lavador, Paz H. Diaz, Arlene Liberal, and Lucy Lazo are shown with BSMED Director Jerry Clavesillas, at the MSME Summit held on July 16 at the PICC.