MSMEs should join the international market- DTI

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Monday, 30 January 2017 - 11:36:28 AM

As the manufacturing and industrial hub of the country, the CALABARZON region should consider the importance of engaging in the international trade to boost growth and development. During the recent multi-stakeholder Briefing on the ASEAN Economic Community and the Philippine-Europe Strategy entitled ”Gaining International Markets for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs),” Department of Trade and Industry(DTI) Regional Director for CALABARZON Marilou Quinco Toledo said that the people should be aware of the opportunities for expanding business overseas, grab these opportunities, study how we can work on these and how we can properly communicate the information to the stakeholders.

If the information is right, more people would be encouraged to get involved in entrepreneurship and so this is where the role of the media comes in, she said. According to Toledo, the entrepreneurs should have their passion and creativity to raise the standard of their products and that information should be disseminated on what services and interventions the DTI can provide along this line. She added that “growth should trickle down” and not just for the few. Dr. Florian Alburo, Team Leader and Key Expert, European Union-Trade Related Technical Assistance 3 stressed that to promote business, there should be no border so as not to lose opportunities from other countries . We should “exchange products across the boarders” and while we want to cross the boarders, we have to open up through technology and by being globally competitive, he said.

In the said briefing conducted by the DTI Region 4-A at the Emerald A and B, Crown Plaza Hotel Galleria in Ortigas, Quezon City and attended by the delegations from each province of the CALABARZON, three MSME businessmen who made it in the international trade gave their testimonials. They were Jeraldine Bautista of Cocoplus Aquarian Development Corp., Maureen Pasciolco Agri Ventures and Clarke Nebrao of the Association of Laguna Food Processors. According to Senen Perlada, Director, Export Marketing Bureau, regional integration is part and parcel of globalization and to protect the international market, quality standards should be raised. DTI Regional Operations Group Undersecretary Zenaida Maglaya said that the DTI will be offering micro financing to the MSMEs to fuel livelihood. In this way, she said, they need not turn to loan sharks or the “5/6” lenders who charge very high interest on their loans. Their agency is providing P1billion to be lent to the MSMEs without collateral wherein an enterprise can secure a loan amounting to P5,000-P100,000. she said. (PIO Batangas City)

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