07 July 2020, as delivered
Magandang araw po sa inyong lahat.
Ako po si Ramon Lopez ng Department of Trade and Industry. Unang una po sa lahat happy 33rd Foundation Anniversary of the Cordillera Administrative Region.
As the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) marks its 33rd anniversary, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is committed to helping you achieve your socio-economic development goals. This is important as our nation creates a “Better Normal” in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ang kultura at kaugalian ng ating mga komunidad sa Cordillera ay patunay sa pagbabayanihan ng mga Pilipino at sumisimbulo sa ating likas na katatagan sa gitna ng pagsubok.
Maraming mga munisipalidad sa lalawigan ng Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga at Mountain province ang nagpatupad ng mga indigenous practices para maisakatuparan ang ating mga stay-at-home orders.
Nararapat lamang na bigyan ng papuri ang inyong walang alinlangang pagtulong sa inyong mga kababayan sa pamamahagi ng pagkain at anumang makapagbibigay ng ginhawa sa mga nangangailangan. Ito ay nagresulta sa mas mahusay na distribusyon ng suporta at ayuda ng gobyerno sa inyong rehiyon.
Samantala po ang mga sistema naman na pinapatupad ng City of Baguio para magtrace ng COVID-19 contacts ay isa rin magandang halimbawa at pamantayan ng mabuting pamamahala para sa ibang mga lokal na pamahalaan. Kaya congratulations din po Mayor Magalong.
In keeping with DTI’s regulatory functions, consumer protection units in the regions were directed to enforce the price freeze during the first 60 days of the state of calamity. Monitoring activities were conducted daily to ensure prices remained reasonable. What’s more, a total of 178 Rolling Stores were implemented in Baguio, Benguet, Abra and Ifugao. That’s why from March 24 to June 30, the Rolling Stores were able to help 96,656 households in 301 barangays.
To provide some relief for businesses, we expedited the release of livelihood kits under two programs, the Pangkabuhayan para sa Pagbangon at Ginhawa, and the Negosyo Serbisyo sa Barangay – Livelihood Seeding Program. Region-wide, 644 beneficiaries from barangays severely affected by disasters or communist armed conflict received tools, goods in stock, and other items, for use in starting businesses.
For businesses that were adversely affected by the pandemic, DTI—through the Small Business Corporation (SBCorp)—launched the SME Cares Loan window for Micro and Small Enterprises. This program is DTI’s way to support enterprises affected by the pandemic to mitigate losses and get their businesses back on their feet. SBCorp has begun reviewing 1,105 applications from CAR with a total loan of Php2.84 million for 37 beneficiaries having been approved and released as of July 3.
In the previous year alone DTI provided assistance to 18,160 Micro SMEs in CAR that generated 25,801 jobs. Whats more, DTIs efforts to encourage more responsible and ethical businesses have steadily increase the number of BAGWIS awardees in CAR which now stands at 232 establishments.
The people of CAR have also adapted on their own by adopting technological solutions. New businesses are cropping up, complementing the traditional way of doing business with e-commerce. The Cordillerans’ adoption of digitalization ensures products can be bought online, and delivered directly to the buyers’ homes.
Thus, it is quite appropriate that the theme of Cordillera Month is “ONE RESILIENT CORDILLERA, EMBRACING THE NEW NORMAL TOWARDS RECOVERY.” I am confident that CAR will be in accord with the entire country in adapting to the new way of doing things, especially in doing business. What’s more, I call on everyone to work towards a “Better Normal” for a more inclusive and safer future!
Let us heal as one, and progress as one!
Maraming salamat po at mabuhay po kayong lahat.