In response to President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s administration’s goal of ensuring inclusive growth and addressing income inequality, the Department of Trade and Industry Region 4-A spearheads the convening of the 3rd CALABARZON Regional MSME Development Council (RMSMEDC) Conference on 28 September 2017 at the First Pacific Leadership Academy located at Km. 27, Sumulong Highway, Antipolo City, Rizal Province.

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 7Ms, referring to: (1) Mindset, (2) Mastery, (3) Mentoring, (4) Market, (5) Money, (6) Machines, and (7) Models (Business), represent the DTI’s strategy for supporting MSMEs.

The 2017 ASEAN MSME Development Summit has already been concluded on 14 July 2017, with the collective efforts of the private sector, civil society, and governments from across ASEAN, bringing together knowledge, perspectives, and experience in growing MSMEs. As a parallel response, 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.

“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,” said DTI CALABARZON Director Marilou Q. Toledo.