BAGUIO CITY (PIA) — Trade and Industry Secretary Ma. Cristina Aldeguer-Roque affirmed that the development of the country’s micro, small and medium enterprise (MSMEs) is among the priority thrust of DTI under her leadership.
“At the Department of Trade and Industry, we consider MSMEs as industry players and as a foundation of our economy. That is why the DTI wholeheartedly provides strong support and opportunities to the development and growth of their businesses,” Roque stressed during the ‘Townhall Kordilyera’ on April 10 in Baguio City.
The MSMEs comprise the 99.5 percent of the business establishments in the country providing 60 percent of the workforce.
Roque led the members of the DTI Executive Committee and other partners in the second leg of their regional roadshows that aims to serve as an avenue to present the DTI programs and services and to provide a chance for them to engage regional trade and industry stakeholders.
Roque outlined the importance of digitalization in MSME development citing that “it is the fastest way for us to earn money, the fastest way to communicate and the fastest way for us to really get the message across.”
She also explained the importance of financing, franchising, diversification and mentoring/training as part of her five point strategy for MSME development.
During the regional townhall meeting, the DTI Executive Committee members and the DTI – CAR officials led the awarding of a P3.89 million food processing Shared Service Facility (SSF) project in Camp Bado Dangwa in La Trinidad, Benguet that is set to benefit 33 MSMEs.
Through the SB Corp, the DTI also awarded the approved financing loans to 10 MSMEs with a total amount of P3,673,000.
Under the Kapatid Mentor Micro Enterprise (KMME), a program that aims to help MSMEs scale up their business through coaching and mentoring, 16 MSMEs (8 from Baguio City and 8 from Benguet) also signed their 2025 training undertakings.
Maximizing her regional visit, Roque also took time to visit a Baguio grocery to check on the prices of basic necessities and prime commodities, and the Baguio public market to inspect two Timbangan ng Bayan. **JDP/CCD-PIA CAR
