CONFIDENT. Entrepreneurs in Iloilo City display their goods in this undated photo. The DBM on Tuesday (Oct. 3, 2023) said PHP783 million would be allocated for the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) MSME Development Program under the proposed 2024 national budget. (PNA file photo by Perla Lena)

MANILA – The Marcos administration is seeking an allocation of around PHP783 million to promote the micro, small, and medium enterprises’ (MSMEs) growth, attract investments and create more jobs, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said on Tuesday.

In a statement, DBM Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said the proposed budget would be allocated for the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) MSME Development Program under the proposed 2024 National Expenditure Program (NEP).

Pangandaman said the spending plan would help ensure the effective implementation of various programs and policies geared towards the advancement of MSMEs.

About PHP100 million of the proposed budget would go to the Digitalization Program of MSMEs to accelerate their advancement and enable them to expand their markets through digitalization, the DBM chief said.

She added that the government would also use some PHP454 million to finance locally-funded projects such as the establishment of Negosyo Centers, as part of the efforts to further support and supply resources that will foster entrepreneurship, promote local products, and enhance the capabilities of MSMEs.

The implementation of the Shared Service Facilities Project and One Town, One Product Next Generation Project, would receive an allocation of PHP579 million and PHP76 million, respectively.

Around 40,000 MSME borrowers are also expected to benefit from the Pondo sa Pagbabago at Pag-Asenso (P3) Program of the Small Business Corporation, which would get a proposed budget of PHP1.5 billion.

“The said initiative aims to provide viable alternative financing options to micro-entrepreneurs while ensuring accessibility and sustainability in their pursuit of growth and progress,” Pangandaman said.

In his budget message, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said his administration would continue supporting the development of MSMEs, especially amid the country’s recovery from the economic scarring of the pandemic.

Marcos made the commitment, as he acknowledged that the sector constitutes a significant portion of the country’s business landscape.

Pangandaman said the government is committed to promoting the MSMEs which serve as “the building blocks of our country’s economy.”

“And so following the directive of President Bongbong Marcos, we will help attract more investments and create more jobs by promoting more competitive and innovative industries, particularly among the MSMEs,” she said. (PNA)