As WTO vice chairman, PH to push MSME agenda
The Philippines has been designated vice-chair of the World Trade Organization (WTO) as the country's strong advocacy for the mainstreaming of the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) into the global value chains in the 21 APEC member countries has gained traction in the larger multilateral trade body WTO with 180 member countries.
This was announced by Trade and Industry Secretary Gregory L. Domingo in a keynote speech at the launch of the "Leadership College" of P & G in Makati City.
Domingo, who was prevailed upon to stay on as DTI Secretary until December 31 this year, said that he will travel to Geneva end of this month to discuss and formalize the vice-chairmanship position of the Philippines at the WTO.
Domingo will also represent the Philippines at the WTO Ministerial in Nairobi, Kenya in December this year.
In a talk with reporters after his speech, Domingo said the Philippines actually volunteered as one of the three vice-chairmen of the WTO on hopes it could push its MSME agenda at APEC into a larger audience and more binding agreement of the WTO.
"It is easy to push for this kind of agenda because this is the right thing to do," Domingo stressed.
At the meeting of the APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade (MRT) in Boracay, the ministers approved a Boracay Action Agenda which strongly pushed for the MSME agenda into the front and center of APEC, a non-binding association of 21 member countries.
WTO Director-General Roberto Azevedo was also a guest speaker at the MRT meeting where he lauded the Philippines for taking the cudgel for MSMEs and vowed to include the Boracay Agenda in WTO discussions.
The Philippines has chosen the theme "Inclusive Growth: A Better World" in this year's APEC hosting with emphasis on the integration of the MSMEs in the global value chain
Domingo noted that MSMEs in the account for 99 percent of total businesses in the country. This sector accounts for two-thirds of total employment. But in terms of value, the MSME sector contributes only a third of the country's GDP.
"So to attain inclusive growth, we make sure MSMEs thrive," Domingo stressed.
This is the reason, he said, the government has been putting in and implementing lots of support and interventions for MSMEs.
For instance, the government has enacted some measures like the Go Neosyo Act, which has paved the way for the establishments of Negosyo Centers all over the country to assist would be entrepreneurs.
Domingo also cited the Shared Services Facilities (SSF) of the DTI for the distribution of equipment and tools for use by micro enterprises, most of these are into agriculture and food processing, and arts and crafts.
The DTI has also launched its SME Roving Academy to conduct trainings to MSMEs. So far, the academy has also conducted a total of 3,000 trainings nationwide.