Former House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano on Friday made another push for financial subsidies to be given to microenterprises and sari-sari store owners who have been hit hard by the pandemic.
“Ang aking gustong mangyari talaga ay maging permanenteng programa ‘to ng DTI na kung saan lahat ng microenterprises ay mayroong suporta at may tatakbuhan para sa kapital,” the former House Speaker told reporters on December 10, 2021.
(I really wish that the Department of Trade and Industry could have a permanent program so that all microenterprises could have financial support if ever they need additional capital.)
He added that the government should seriously look into providing financial support for microenterprises in the next three to five years to help these businesses recover from the pandemic downturn.
Concerned with the effects of the pandemic, the former House Speaker cited the plight of sari-sari store owners who had to close their stores because of the community lockdown.
“‘Pag ikaw nagpapatakbo ng sari-sari store o ng karinderya [during the pandemic], isang buwan ka lang sarado, magagamit mo na yung mga ibebenta mo sana. Kaso, mahirap makatayo ulit,” he said.
(If you are operating a sari-sari store or an eatery during the pandemic and you closed for a month, you might completely use your inventory stocks for your personal needs. The problem is, it’s hard to re-establish yourself afterward.)
Cayetano pointed out that government should be able to guarantee the capital needs of all microenterprises across the country, as this would only require P50 billion to P70 billion from the national budget.
He added that small business owners need some state subsidy because they do not have the same access to credit as large enterprises.
“Katulad nito sa mga malalaking negosyo, na pwede sa bangko, kung mayroong mga assets sila, pwede nang mapautangan,” Cayetano said.
(This would be similar to large businesses that could use their assets as collateral in order to access additional capital).
As part of his mid-pandemic flagship projects, Cayetano is spearheading the Sari-Saring Pag-asa program which provides each recipient P3,500 that can be used to provide for their basic needs and replenish their stores’ inventory.
As of December 8, Sari-Saring Pag-asa has helped 7,144 small business owners.
TRANSLATION
Cayetano: Bigyan ng subsidy ang mga micro-enterprise
Muling itinulak ni Dating House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano noong Biyernes ang pagbibigay ng ayudang pinansyal para sa mga microenterprises at sari-sari stores na labis na naapektuhan ng pandemya.
“Ang aking gustong mangyari talaga ay maging permanenteng programa ‘to ng DTI na kung saan lahat ng microenterprises ay mayroong suporta at may tatakbuhan para sa kapital,” ika ng dating House Speaker sa isang press conference noong Distembre 10.
Ipinahayag din niya na dapat pag-aralan ng pamahalaan ang pagbibigay ng tulong pinansyal sa mga microenterprises sa susunod na tatlo hanggang limang taon, para makabangon ang mga negosyong ito mula sa pandemya.
Labis na nababahala rin si Cayetano sa epekto ng pandemya at community lockdowns sa mga sari-sari store owners.
“‘Pag ikaw nagpapatakbo ng sari-sari store o ng karinderya [sa pandemic], isang buwan ka lang sarado, magagamit mo na yung mga ibebenta mo sana. Kaso, mahirap makatayo ulit,” ani niya.
BInigyang-diin ng dating House Speaker ang pamamahagi ng dagdag kapital at tulong pinansyal para sa lahat ng microenterprises sa bansa. Ayon sa kaniya, P50 hanggang P70 bilyon lang ang kailangang ilaan ng pamahalaan mula sa kabuuang pondo ng bansa.
Dinagdag din ni Cayetano na kailangan ng mga maliliit na negosyante ng subsidy mula sa pamahalaan.
“Katulad nito sa mga malalaking negosyo, na pwede sa bangko, kung mayroong mga assets sila, pwede nang mapautangan,” ipinahayag ni Cayetano.
Bilang bahagi ng kaniyang mga proyekto ngayong pandemya, ang Sari-Saring Pag-asa program ay namimigay ng P3,500 sa mga sari-sari store owners para makatulong ngayong pandemya.
Nitong Disyembre 3, umabot na sa 7,119 small business owners ang natulungan ng Sari-Saring Pag-asa.
