Support local this holiday season
DESPITE the pandemic, we are still able to celebrate the holiday season at the comfort of our homes albeit being on a much smaller scale.
It may seem sad that we may not have to spend time with friends, officemates, and some family members during the holiday celebrations, the smaller celebrations encouraged by the health authorities and the local government units are for own good. This means less exposure and a lower risk of catching the SarsCoV-2, the virus causing the Covid-19.
However, what we could do in the absence of mass gatherings is doing our celebrations online or sending food packs or gifts to our loved ones. This will be another great opportunity for many of us to support our local micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). Likewise, the holiday season is also a great opportunity for MSMEs to offer packages or promotions for celebrations in the new normal.
At present, MSMEs comprise around 99.6 percent of all businesses in the Philippines. They also employ around 65 percent of the country's workforce. But due to the pandemic, many MSMEs were hardest hit. This resulted in some MSMEs closing down and laying off employees. Some of these employees have opted to start their own business in the hopes that they will be able to continue to provide for their families.
Many of our local food MSMEs -- restaurants, caterers, and home-based businesses - are offering food packs or set meals that you could send to your friends and families when you conduct your virtual Christmas dinners.
For your gifts, local MSMEs from different industries are offering holiday-themed products that you could put in one basket to make your own holiday hamper filled with products made by our local MSMEs.
You are not only supporting the products of our local MSMEs but also local delivery services. We have seen a number of local delivery and errand services entering the market since the start of the pandemic. The men and women on motors delivering foods and goods from one establishment or home to another have mostly lost their jobs when they were laid off. It was these delivery and errand services that also gave them a second chance.
By supporting local during the holiday season, we are helping the livelihood of many families and individuals. We are also helping ensure that some individuals continue to have jobs and provide for their families.
This holiday season, let's support local businesses and help revive the local economy.
--Sunnex