VICE President Leni Robredo said she will push for the implementation of a P100-billion program to help micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
She said rebuilding the MSMEs sector, severely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, will be her top priority if elected President in May to spur the country’s economic growth.
At the “The Pilipinas Debates 2022: The Turning Point” organized by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on March 19, Robredo reiterated her proposal to come up with a P100-billion stimulus program for MSMEs.
“Ang akin pong proposal, maliban doon sa mga available na ngayon, ay magpo-propose po ako ng P100 billion stimulus fund para buhayin ulit ‘yung mga MSMEs. Ito pong P100 [billion] na ito, ang portion nito conditional cash grants. Ang another portion nito ay low-interest loans para mabuhay ulit sila,” Robredo said during the first round of the debates which centered on solutions for economic recovery.
Aside from providing conditional grants and loans to small and medium businesses, Robredo said the stimulus fund will also cover capacity-building programs to help them boost their livelihood.
Robredo also vowed to push for a law requiring government institutions to buy directly from MSMEs, emphasizing that the sector generates a total of 5.7 million jobs for Filipinos.
“Ang datos po natin, ang pinakamalaking merkado [ay] gobyerno. Kaya isusulong po natin ‘yung panukalang batas na naglalayon na ‘yung gobyerno, mag-set aside ng pondo niya na talagang MSMEs ang binibilhan niya,” she said.
In 2020, the Office of the Vice President ) tapped sewing groups and communities in various parts of the country to produce reusable suits for pandemic frontliners.
Robredo’s initiative addressed the shortage of personal protective equipment (PPEs) in hospitals and health institutions and at the same time helped small businesses thrive amidst the unprecedented health crisis.