Hontiveros to government: Fast-track digital program for MSMEs
MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Risa Hontiveros on Thursday called on the government to speed up its digital transformation program for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), warning that their cease in operations would likely result in the laying off of their workers.
"MSMEs make up 99% of the country's businesses. And because of the pandemic, more than half of these [businesses] have closed. Now's the urgent time to fast-track the implementation of this roadmap to help small businesses and prevent them from closing shop," Hontiveros said in a mix of Filipino and English.
The senator further emphasized the need to support businesses as they navigate shift to online transactions brought about by the pandemic, adding that the limitation in movement has resulted in less customers for enterprises.
Given this, she said that "resources and tools should be readily available and accessible to increase awareness among small business owners of the value of using digital technology from market access to logistics services."
According to Hontiveros, these necessary resources and tools should take the form of free webinars and training sessions instructing entrepreneurs on how to run their businesses in the digital space.
"There should also be a venue to assess which applications and tools [business owners] can use to secure digital payments. If there are subsidies to for internet connectivity, even better," the senator said in Filipino.
She added that these "these programs should be promoted through the aid of local government units so that MSMEs that do not have access to the internet for resources can also keep up with the innovation."
"Mabilis ang teknolohiya kaya dapat masiguradong mabilis ding nakakasabay ang mga maliliit na negosyo. (Technology is fast so it should be ensured that small businesses can keep up.)"
Hontiveros urges the public to buy local
In addition to lobbying the government to support small businesses, Hontiveros also called on the public to do the same.
"Sila sana ang una nating maisip kung kailangan natin ng pagkain, inumin, face masks, at iba pang essential needs. Ang matatag na suporta para sa mga negosyanteng Pinoy ay susi para mapasigla muli ang ating ekonomiya."
(Hopefully, we think of [small businesses] first when we need food, drinks, face masks, and other essential needs. Strong support for Filipino entrepreneurs is the key to restart our economy.)
She added that the pandemic-induced disruptions in both the global and national supply chain have made it all the more important for consumers to have local sources.
Record-high unemployment
A national poll released in August found that joblessness in the adult labor force was at a record-high 45.5%.
The survey, conducted by the Social Weather Stations from July 3 to July 6, saw the numbers of unemployed adults shoot up to 27.3 million in July from the 7.9 million recorded in December 2019.
The poll added that these joblessness figures marked "a 28-point increase from 17.5% in December 2019, and a new record-high since the 34.4% in March 2012."
In addition to this, the survey found that 21% of adult Filipinos, "or half of the 42% with no job/livelihood at the time of the interview–lost their job/livelihood during the COVID-19 crisis."
Despite these grim numbers, there are no signs that the COVID-19 crisis ravaging the country will slow down anytime soon.
As of Thursday, 205,581 coronavirus infections have been confirmed by the Department of Health along with 3,234 deaths.
The country has been under varying forms of community quarantine since March 17, marking the longest lockdown period in the world at 164 days. — Bella Perez-Rubio
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