PDRF launches online recovery hub, ‘sari-sari’ recovery program

The Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF) recently launched two new recovery programs to support the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMES) that have been affected by the ongoing coronavirus lockdown.

Understanding the need to support these enterprises in navigating through postpandemic scenarios that might emerge, the PDRF, the United Nations Development Programme and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, with the support of the Connecting Business initiative, launched Sikap, or Synergizing Recovery Initiatives, Knowledge, and Adaptation Practices for MSMES.

Sikap is a unified online business recovery hub that helps MSMES bounce forward to the “next normal.” To respond to the economic impacts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Sikap aims to address the need to consolidate relevant information on MSME recovery programs both from government agencies and private sector organizations. The key functionalities of Sikap are focused on the following:

• Provision of information on practical and useful business tips to MSMES;

• Access to information on the current and available loans programs of your agency as well as possible partners within your network; and

• Mentorship opportunities for MSMES to learn from industry leaders and experts who come from different backgrounds.

Another business recovery program of PDRF is the Sari-sari Store Recovery Program which aims to assist 400 “sari-sari” stores in Metro Manila through consumer goods and telco packages worth P25,000 on a low to no-interest loan basis. “This initiative is really aimed at the heart of the Philippine small business—the sari-sari store we all know of—which is an important supply chain in large companies. For each store, we are helping a family, an entire community,” PDRF president Butch Meily said.