Women entrepreneurs seen to lead economic recovery

MANILA, Philippines — Presidential adviser for entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion yesterday pushed for empowering women entrepreneurs as they have the potential to drive the country’s economic recovery.

As women make up nearly 90 percent of micro and small enterprises in the country, Concepcion said empowering them would be necessary as the country starts to bounce back from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We need to inspire and motivate our women entrepreneurs,” the Go Negosyo founder said.

Go Negosyo is holding today the Women 2022 Entrepreneurship Summit with the theme “Thriving in a Changed World: Women Leading the Way” to encourage more women to start their own businesses.

“The Women 2022 Entrepreneurship Summit is timely because we have seen in the past how women entrepreneurs can be such a driving force in powering our economy,” Concepcion said.

“Many of them faced challenges during the pandemic, especially in recapitalizing their businesses. But they have shown much resilience,” he said.

While many women entrepreneurs in the country have been active on e-commerce even before the pandemic, the crisis has shown they face challenges in terms of access to credit and training in digital technology.

Through the Women’s Summit, Concepcion hopes more Filipina entrepreneurs can be inspired by female mentors and leaders as well as successful business models.

The event will serve as a venue to discuss opportunities for women’s economic empowerment and for the Inspiring Filipina Entrepreneurs Awards, which will recognize the achievement of 17 women entrepreneurs.

It will also feature an exhibit of women-led businesses and partner organizations.

Given the threats to recovery including the rising commodity prices brought on by the Russia-Ukraine conflict, as well as the fear of COVID, Concepcion said empowering women entrepreneurs has become even more urgent at this time.

He said small businesses are relying on the reopening of the economy to be able to repay the loans they incurred during the lockdowns.

The government is also facing P12 trillion in national debt.

“We have to remember that MSMEs account for more than half of the jobs generated in the Philippines. Their recovery is our recovery,” Concepcion said.

Poor implementation

Meanwhile, reelectionist Sen. Risa Hontiveros and other women’s sector leaders lamented the poor implementation of Republic Act 10354 or the Reproductive Health Law, as they pushed for the creation of an oversight committee to ensure the effective implementation of the measure.

At the Pandesal Forum at the Kamuning Bakery in Quezon City yesterday, Hontiveros said she found the implementation of the law to be unsatisfactory by government agencies as well as local government units (LGUs) in the grassroots.

“Honestly, I am not satisfied by the implementation of the law,” she said. “While there has been some implementation, there have been rough bumps in its implementation.”

Hontiveros said that improper funding of the law, either at the level of the Department of Health or LGUs, particularly of their health units, has hindered implementation.

“Everyone now and then, there have been pitched battles for funding of RH programs in the LGUs,” Hontiveros said.