Senate bill seeks to institutionalize Go Lokal program
With 99.51 percent of all businesses in the Philippines comprising the micro, small and medium enterprises or MSMEs, a senator is pushing for a legislated measure to help them gain access to the lucrative mainstream market and eventually the global market.
Sen. Mark Villar filed Senate Bill 1124 or an act providing for enhanced market access, mainstreaming and promotion platform for Philippine MSMEs through the institutionalization of the Go Lokal program.
In filing the measure, he cited the 2020 statistics report from the Philippine Statistics Authority, which said 99.51 percent of all businesses in the Philippines are MSMEs.
“As the backbone of our national economy, the MSMEs should be provided support in terms of financial assistance, capacity-building and marketing. To further establish brand awareness, expand the market exposure and provide the export potential of MSMEs in seizing opportunities in the recovery of global markets,” he said.
He noted that the Philippine merchandise exports closed 2021 with a 14.5 percent growth with a value reaching $74.6 billion, based on a PSA preliminary data.
“The bill seeks to institutionalize the Go Lokal program, a free market access platform for Philippines MSMEs, which was introduced by the Department of Trade and Industry in collaboration with retail partners,” he added.
According to Villar, the Go Lokal program aims to help MSMEs gain access to the lucrative mainstream market and eventually go global.
“It is also a vehicle to discover emerging suppliers and manufacturers and new products with high market potential thus expanding the manufacturing base and create more jobs in order to promote economic growth. MSMEs can test the marketability of their products without incurring the high costs of rent, listing fees, and operating a retail outlet,” he said.
He added that the bill proposes to create the Go Lokal advisory committee and the Go Lokal program office within the DTI to help achieve the objectives of the law.