YORME. Presidential aspirant Manila Mayor Isko Moreno shares a few points on his plan to help MSMEs in the country during his visit at the Aquino Basket Shop factory in Barangay Calibutbut, Bacolor Pampanga. Photo by Joann Manabat
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – Presidential aspirant Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso visited three factories in the province for a dialog with their workers on Thursday, October 28.
Together with his running mate Dr. Willie Ong and their senatorial slate Jopet Sison, Samira Gutoc, and Carl Balita, Moreno and his team visited Pampanga’s Best meat processing plant at Barangay dela Paz Norte in this city, Aquino Basket Shop factory in Barangay Calibutbut, Bacolor, and Co Am Philippines Inc. in Clark Freeport.
As part of his campaign to listen to ordinary people, Moreno shared a few points on his plan to help the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and the ease and cost of doing business in the country geared toward encouraging Filipinos to be in a progressive entrepreneurial industry.
The Manila Mayor said his plan to restart MSMEs especially those that were forced to close down due to the pandemic will be similar to what he did in his city as these are “drivers of the economy.”
“We are really trying to learn and listen to the people, because every industry has different problems and challenges. Then at the end of the day, given the chance, kami ni Doc at sampu ng aking mga kasama to be in public office, alam namin tirahin kung paano bibigyan ng direction ang ating bansa para sa buhay ng bawat Pilipino,” said Moreno.
“To help local businessmen, we should increase the loan pool available to performing MSMEs from the current P1.5 billion to P30 billion. It is also important to create more special agri-economic zones and improve our business climate to attract foreign direct investments or FDI,” shared Moreno.
Based on the 2020 MSME statistics of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the Philippine Statistics Authority’s list of establishments in the country has recorded a total of 957,620 business enterprises operating in the country where 99.51 percent are MSMEs and 0.49 percent large enterprises. The micro enterprises comprise 88.77 percent of total MSME establishments, followed by small enterprises at 10.25 percent, and medium enterprises at 0.49 percent.
Furthermore, MSMEs generate a total 62.66 percent of the country’s total employment while large enterprises employ 37.34 percent of the country’s overall employment.
Moreno also shared his excitement and expressed how impressed he was that many of the factories in the province still continue to thrive without retrenchments despite the lockdowns and amid the pandemic.
“I am excited for you (Pampanga) kasi ang dami nyong industriya dito. And whatever we can do to support whatever is left kasi marami rin naman nawala, we will do so,” said Moreno.
Moreno also mentioned the Mandana Ruling by the Supreme Court in 2018, that the internal revenue allotment is programmed to increase by 55 percent in the 2022 budget, reaching Php1.08 trillion or 4.8 percent of the country’s gross domestic product compared to 3.5 percent of GDP in 2021.
“Because of the sources from the national government na ibigay, from 3.5 or 4 percent of our GDP mapupunta sa local yung cost, yung value na yun so how can we utilize will depend on the disbursement or paggastos ng pamahalaan. Because this is a new law for each and every local government,” Moreno said.
“Nagawa po natin ang lahat ng ito sa Maynila sa kabila ng umiiral na pandemya. Mula sa isang taon, merong dagdag na kikitain lahat ng gobyernong lokal dahil sa Mandanas Ruling ng Korte Suprema,” added Moreno.
“Kesa magastos sa kung saan-saan lang, hihikayatin ko, sakaling maging pangulo ako, ang mga LGUs na gamitin ang dagdag na kita sa maraming taon. Isanla nila ang IRA sa DBP at maski pribadong mga banko na maraming pera ngayon dahil mahina ang loans dahil naman sa walang negosyo, para magtayo ng pabahay, iskwelahang kumpleto sa computers, at ospital,” Moreno furthered.
