In response to President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration’s goal of ensuring inclusive growth, promoting micro, small and medium enterprises, and addressing income inequality, the Department of Trade and Industry CALABARZON will lead the convening of the 3rd CALABARZON Regional MSME Development Council (RMSMEDC) Conference on 28 September 2017 at the First Pacific Leadership Academy in Antipolo City, Rizal.

With the theme, “The 7Ms in ASEANizing CALABARZON MSMEs,” the conference aims to strengthen the role of the micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in propelling domestic and ASEAN regional economies. The seven-point strategy includes Mindset, Mastery, Mentoring, Markets, Money, Machines, and Models of Business that will equip entrepreneurs in making a difference in the market while contributing to the larger cause of sustaining the entrepreneurial revolution in ASEAN.

MSMEs are integral to the economic development and growth of the ASEAN region as they outnumber large enterprises in both quantity of establishments and share of the labor force they employ. The ASEAN MSMEs comprise the 95-99% of all business establishments, generating between 51% and 97% of employment.

DTI CALABARZON Regional Director Marilou Toledo said MSMEs play vital role in lifting the country and the ASEAN Region’s economy, thus the sector needs to be active in participating in related activities as they are as well beneficiaries of the economic opportunities that the current ASEAN integration brings.

“The Department of Trade and Industry, in partnership with the RMSMED Council, believes that the MSMEs must be active participants and beneficiaries of the economic opportunities that the current ASEAN integration brings, thus, the need to strengthen the MSMEs’ role and contribution in attaining inclusive, people-centered ASEAN,” Toledo said.

With the recent 2017 ASEAN MSME Development Summit bringing together knowledge, perspectives, and experience in growing MSMEs, the Regional MSME Development Council has agreed to localize the event and present the same to the region’s stakeholders.

The event will tackle the 7Ms for MSME development through panel discussions with responses from the government and private sector representatives in an effort to translate the aspirations into deliberate actions at the regional and local levels to help MSMEs move up in life. ♦