Past and present

Last week was meaningful in many ways, and it is only upon reflection that I realized how significant it was.

Last Monday, exactly a week ago, we welcomed the newly appointed Secretary Cris Roque to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) during an event we hosted to rally support for women-led MSMEs. Her immediate predecessor, Fred Pascual, graced us with his presence at the event, underscoring continuity in leadership at the DTI. This has been a boon to MSMEs since they both prioritize MSME development.

Much of what we do for MSMEs at Go Negosyo depends on government support. After all, we believe in greater private sector participation and cooperation with government to advance MSME development, something that is also embodied in the Private Sector Advisory Council, which offers guidance to the President in its goals for the country’s economic development. The private sector brings efficiencies and on-the-ground insights.

Initiatives such as the programs we have for MSME development at Go Negosyo progress better when the private sector is invested in them. Likewise, the private sector cannot pursue these long-ranging, high-impact programs without supportive policies from the government. It would be nearly impossible to organize at the local level without at least some coordination with community leaders, who understand the dynamics of their constituents and can identify the informal opinion leaders, local customs and on-the-ground concerns.

That is why we are grateful for First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos’ LAB for All program. The First Lady has opened the program to us, allowing us to conduct our entrepreneurship mentoring in the barangay halls, gymnasiums and community centers, even in the remotest places. While many people come to the LAB for All caravans primarily for the medical services, they also take advantage of the other offerings, making it a great collaboration that has significantly advanced our mission to reach as many active and aspiring entrepreneurs as possible, especially those in small towns and barangays.

The First Lady was also present at last week’s event for MSMEs, as was my mentor, former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. I am grateful to the First Lady and to the former president; one opened my mind to the potential of the private sector to help the country through MSME development, while the other opened many doors for us to fulfill our mission.

Last week also saw me meeting the new Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary, Sonny Angara. He is no stranger to me, as we have worked together before on the Tatak Pinoy program. Now that we have another chance to collaborate, I am quite excited, as it is apparent that we are on the same page.

We started discussions with DepEd while VP Sara was still its head. During those meetings, we lined up several programs like Youthpreneur to reinforce the entrepreneurship and financial literacy training of senior high school students, and Mentoring the Mentors, a program to enhance the teachers’ entrepreneurship knowledge, allowing them to guide their students in their entrepreneurship journey and perhaps build also on their skills to become entrepreneurs themselves.

We also plugged into the DepEd’s Pampaaralang Taniman sa Agribida – the school gardens project that aims to involve parents in teaching children about agriculture. With Go Negosyo’s input, we hope to enhance the program with a view to entrepreneurship, encouraging the kids to see agriculture as a viable future path. We need future farmers, and we need to teach them how to make farming a way to make a comfortable living.

Last week also marked the culmination of collective efforts at the PSAC Jobs Committee and discussions with Secretary Angara with the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement between the DepEd and the Private Sector Advisory Council’s Jobs Committee to enhance student skills and employability through work immersion programs, teacher training and job matching activities to address the country’s jobs and skills mismatch. The President was there to witness the signing as he has always been supportive of such public-private sector cooperation, especially in initiatives with wide-ranging impact on the future of the country.

Upskilling our labor force is also crucial, especially considering how technologies like AI are reshaping the way we work. Upskilled workers in high-quality jobs means higher wages, which stimulate increased spending, leading to a favorable environment for MSMEs to flourish. As these MSMEs prosper, they will create even more jobs, sustaining a cycle of inclusive economic growth with a strong base of hundreds of thousands of robust, dynamic and profitable enterprises. This will also empower communities, fostering a more equitable and prosperous society. This positive cycle will contribute to a brighter future for the Philippines, where economic growth is shared and enjoyed by all.

This is why we should give education and MSMEs all the help they need – these sectors have a big role to play in the future of our country. I am glad that we have people in government who are willing to collaborate with us to get to where we all want to be.

Before I end this column, I would like to pay tribute to the late Henry Lim Bon Liong, the former leader of the FFCCCII and the visionary behind Doña Maria rice at the company he founded, SL Agritech. He was one of the first CEOs to become a Big Brother to our MSMEs and was a generous soul who never doubted the potential of the Filipino. I hope that his life and words will continue to inspire other Filipino businessmen to become active participants in our quest for a prosperous Philippines. May his legacy live on.