President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Thursday rallied big business and other stakeholders to support the national government’s efforts to level up the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and the so-called nano enterprises in the country.
The President made the pitch during the launch of ‘Kanegosyo Center’ of the Cebuana Lhuillier group of companies on Thursday at the Palacio de Memoria in Roxas Boulevard in Parañaque City as he called on stakeholders to support the initiative.
President Marcos defined nano enterprises as small businesses that do not fall into any category of economic activity “because they’re way below the radar.”
“These are the people that we are trying to help. And what we are trying to do here is, first, having recognized that the economies of the world, the economies of different countries, and the global economy has been fundamentally changed by the pandemic,” President Marcos said.
“And that is why we have to do different things now. And that’s why we were trying the basic concept behind this is that we are trying to create an ecosystem for startups and that is really what we are trying to do. We are trying to help small businesses who have a good idea,” he added.
President Marcos took note of the creation of the ‘Kanegosyo Center’ as a simple business, but requires a good deal of organization and knowledge about the market and how it will help improve the MSMEs and the nano enterprises.
The chief executive added that the government is banking on the people’s desire to always seek for job even if they will be given with financial assistance or will be employed in any of the government’s livelihood assistance programs such as the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Displaced Workers (TUPAD) Program of the Department of Labor and Employment.
“And that’s what we build on. And this is what ‘Kanegosyo’ and all the other programs that are hoping to assist our small businesses – that is what we are trying to achieve,” President Marcos said.
“That is why, it is not something that is done just purely out of business instinct. It’s not something that is done para kumita lang. It is something that is done para tumulong,” he added.
President Marcos also reiterated the impact of investing in the MSMEs and nano enterprises to the Philippine economy as he emphasized that 99 percent of the country’s businesses are MSMEs with around 63 percent of the labor force are employed by it.
“So, there is no way that if we are trying to help the economy, if we are trying to transform the economy, that we do not attend to that enormous slice of our economy. Hindi lang ‘yung malalaking korporasyon. Marami silang maitutulong. Ngunit ang gobyerno ay kailangang pumasok at tumulong to encourage such programs as ‘Kanegosyo’,” he said.
Before concluding his speech, President Marcos personally thanked the proponents behind the ‘Kanegosyo Center’ as he emphasized that it does not only help the MSMEs and the nano enterprises, but it also aims to unite the Filipino people similar to how the administration pushes for unity in the country.
“This is a program that brings many, many elements together and I am sure that if we continue to be committed to work hard and to be sensitive to the needs of the people, magiging successful naman siguro ang ating mga ginagawa sa pagtulong and to create that ecosystem for the small businesses to be able to thrive and hopefully turn small businesses into larger businesses as they go down the road,” the President said.
President Marcos recalled his small talks with Ambassador to Spain Philippe Lhuillier in 2020 in Spain where they have discussed how they can help small businesses in the Philippines.
A few years after, the ‘Kanegosyo Center’ was realized through Jean Henri Lhuillier, President and CEO of the PJ Lhuillier Group of Companies. PND
