Citing the Filipinos' knack for creating excellent, high-quality, and world-class products, House Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III has called for stronger local support for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

During the launch of “OTOP is in the House 3.0 – B2B House Appliance Fair 2025” at the House of Representatives Monday, Nov. 24, Dy said his four decades in public service have taught him a defining lesson on the value of giving Filipino enterprises the support they need.

“Kapag binibigyan natin ng suporta at pagkakataon ang ating kapwa Pilipino, kaya niyang lumikha ng produktong mahusay, de-kalidad, at world-class na talaga namang ating maipagmamalaki,” the Speaker said.

(When we give support and opportunity to our fellow Filipinos, they are able to create excellent, high-quality, and truly world-class products that we can be proud of.)

OTOP stands for One Town, One Product. Dy says the four-day fair is not merely an exhibit but a recognition of the livelihood, talent and creativity of every Filipino entrepreneur.

The Speaker cited the findings of a recent study in his home province of Isabela which showed that more than 85 percent of OTOP entrepreneurs were sole proprietors with only ₱10,000 to ₱50,000 in capital.

Dy extolled them, and said “they dare to dream, they dare to build" despite having limited resources.

“Ano po ang kanilang ginagawa? Delicacies. Kakanin. Sauces. Inumin. Agricultural produce tulad ng kape. Mga produktong galing sa kanya-kanyang bayan, na pwedeng dalhin saan mang bahagi ng bansa—at maging sa buong mundo,” Dy said.

(What are they making? Delicacies. Native rice cakes. Sauces. Drinks. Agricultural produce such as coffee. Products from their own towns, which can be brought to any part of the country—and even to the whole world.)

“Sa madaling salita: One Town, One Product—na may kalidad, na siguradong tatangkilikin sa iba’t ibang bahagi ng mundo (In short: One Town, One Product—with quality, guaranteed to be appreciated in different parts of the world),” he continued.

As of 2023, there are 1,246,373 business enterprises operating in the Philippines. Of the total, 1,241,761 or 99.63 percent are MSMEs, with more than 90 percent or 1,127,058 being micro enterprises.

Dy said the House aims to make doing business easier for MSMEs and ensure fairer access to capital and markets.

“Sa Kamara, malinaw ang aming layunin: palakasin ang MSMEs. Gawing mas madali ang pagnenegosyo, mas accessible ang puhunan, at mas patas ang merkado. Dahil kapag umangat ang maliliit na negosyo, aangat ang buong bansa,” he said.

(In the House, our goal is clear: to strengthen MSMEs. To make doing business easier, capital more accessible, and the market fairer. Because when small businesses rise, the whole nation rises.)

The House chief urged distributors, buyers and partners to pursue collaborations that create tangible benefits for communities.

“Tandaan natin, ang mga partnership o kolaborasyon ay hindi lang transaksyon—ito ay nagbibigay-daan tungo sa oportunidad tulad ng trabaho, kabuhayan, at pag-asa para sa mga Pilipinong naghahangad ng mas magandang kinabukasan,” he said.

(Let us remember, partnerships or collaborations are not just transactions—they open the way to opportunities such as jobs, livelihoods, and hope for Filipinos who aspire for a better future.)