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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Senate bill seeks to grant support services for online MSMEs

Senate bill seeks to grant support services for online MSMEs

Published Nov 15, 2022 03:09 pm

To facilitate their integration into the formal economy, Senator Manuel “Lito” Lapid is now pushing for a measure seeking to provide support services for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in online spaces.

In filing Senate Bill No. 1499, or the proposed Support Services for Online MSMEs Act, Lapid said it is high time to incentivize the registration of MSMEs by providing support services that will aid in the efficient and effective operation of their businesses.

“Dapat nating kilalanin ang kahalagahan ng e-commerce sa pag-unlad at sa pagbangon ng ating ekonomiya sa mga naging epekto ng pandemya (We must recognize the importance of e-commerce in the development and recovery of our economy from the effects of the pandemic),” Lapid said in a statement.

“Kaya marapat na bigyang pansin ang potensyal ng maliliit na online businesses kapag pormal at nakarehistro na upang mabigyan sila ng sapat na mga serbisyo ng suporta (So it’s appropriate to pay attention to the potential of small online businesses once they are formalized and registered in order to provide them with adequate support services),” Lapid said.

The measure seeks to help MSMEs, who are so-called “self-employed without any paid employee” who helped mitigate job losses during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

About 28.7 percent of workers in April 2020 were from this class of workers, which primarily consists of those with new online businesses in social media and other digital platforms. However, only a fraction of these micro enterprises were registered.

Lapid said the bill primarily seeks to acknowledge the effort of Filipino workers to find decent employment through online entrepreneurial activities by providing them with the support services they need to become formal, duly registered, and taxpaying businesses that create dependable employment for their operators and others, and generate value in their communities.

“Layunin rin ng panukalang ito na makapagbigay ng sapat na kapital at credit access sa mga nagnanais magtayo ng online business, at magkaroon ng isang online one-stop portal para sa lahat ng mga support services upang mabigyan ng sapat na kaalaman at updates sa mga developments at technological advancements (This proposal also aims to provide sufficient capital and credit access to those who wish to build an online business, and to have an online one-stop portal for all support services to provide adequate information and updates on developments. and technological advancements),” Lapid said.

Under the bill, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) shall establish an online portal consolidating all available government support services for online MSMEs.

The services may include, but shall not be limited to, loans from government financial institutions, regulatory relief and extensions, technical training, product development services, marketing assistance, and logistics support.

The DTI shall also be mandated to establish an “Online Negosyo Center” within the portal, which shall serve as an information and assistance center dedicated to serving the needs of online MSMEs.

The agency will also be tasked, under the bill, to assist informal businesses and other interested individuals and businesses to transition into online MSMEs.

Related Tags

MSMES online businesses online entrepreneurs lito lapid
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