KEY RECOMMENDATIONS:

 

MINDSET, MASTERY, MENTORING
1. Integrate entrepreneurship values and skills in the educational system at all levels
  • Create wealth and employment via entrepreneurship
  • Implement Youth Entrepreneurship Act
  • Instill strong entrepreneurship culture in youth
  • Integrate entrepreneurship in K+12 curriculum

2. Assert centrality of MSME development towards dynamic and inclusive economies

  

  • Foster a convergence mindset in government
  • Create MSME Development Councils (where absent)
  

  • Strengthen MSME Development Council (Membership, Leadership, Secretariat)
3. Support and pursue ASEAN Mentorship for Entrepreneurs Network (AMEN) Initiative
  

  • Tap successful entrepreneurs as peer mentors
  • Provide incentives for mentoring, special business mentor visas
  

  • Establish an Innovators Program for Mentors

 

 MONEY ACCESS 
1. Develop, promote and expand alternative financial instruments for MSMEs
  • Pursue movable collateral, export packing credits, angel investors/venture capital, online crowdfunding
  • Address policy and institutional hurdles on flow of financial resources to MSMEs
 
  •  Actively implement Credit Surety Fund Cooperative Act
2. Provide appropriate regulatory framework for banks/finance institutions serving MSMEs
  • Recognize that delivery of MSME/small farm finance is inherently costly and warrants occasional public support
  • Apply rules that enable rather than restrict, distinct from those imposed on commercial banks
 
  • Develop distinct governance rules for development finance institutions (amend charters)
3. Adopt initiatives to help strengthen MSMEs’ credit worthiness
 
  • Build capacities in financial literacy and management
  • Provide for risk sharing schemes, alternative credit scoring system
 
  • Channel MSME loans thru industry associations, coops
  • Involve barangays, communities actively in MSME risk management schemes

 

 

 MACHINES 
 1. Explore establishment of an ASEAN MSME R&D center 
  • Provide technology assistance for MSMEs region-wide on improving productivity and environmental sustainability
  • Pool AMS resources, tap dialogue partners’ support
 
  • Establish innovation hubs (business+academe) near universities or industry clusters
 2. Improve responsiveness of machine & technology assistance to MSME requirements 
 
  • Identify equipment needs at stages of the value chain
  • Strengthen collaboration between science and industry ministries in providing machine and technology requirements of MSMEs
 
  • Harness multisectoral collaboration in identifying machine needs, consolidation, and matching
3. Expand knowledge sharing on non-proprietary machines and technologies 
 
  • Convene regular machine/technology fairs, training programs

  • Bring together equipment and technology producers, exhibitors, traders, buyers, MSME users

 
  • Widen reach of DTI’s SSF Program
  • Link SSF program more closely with DOST’s SETUP

 

 MARKETS 
 1. Pursue a unified ASEAN Digital Marketplace 
  

  • Move E-ASEAN Framework Agreement forward, by harmonizing e-commerce legal frameworks
  • Create an ASEAN-wide e-commerce platform for MSMEs
 
  • Address country’s Internet speed, quality and cost disadvantage
  • Establish wide and secure e-payments systems
 2. Strengthen monitoring and compliance system on quality standards, per the ASEAN Standards & Conformance Strategic Action Plan 
 
  • Strengthen national quality infrastructures
  • Provide adequate & easily accessible testing centers, standards monitoring tools, etc.
 
  • Pass National Quality Infrastructure Act
  • Unify efforts for a Country Brand in Filipino products and services
3. Widen MSME linkages to ASEAN RVCs via business matching support, better information systems 
  

  • Establish centralized information platform on raw materials availability, market trends, product demands and product standards
  • Develop a regional MSME business matching mechanism (ABAC)
 
  • Pursue public-private mechanism for business matching
  • Provide affirmative action for MSMEs in government procurement

  

 MODELS OF BUSINESS 
 1. Develop ASEAN MSME Starter Kit Map with business models for start-up MSMEs 
  • Guide for starting MSMEs based on proven models
  • Create and compile directory of franchises, business templates, and open access software
 
  •  Pass the Start-Up Business Bill
 2. Promote social enterprises highlighting community-based approaches to enterprise development 
  

  • Provide enabling and nurturing environment for social enterprise
  • Develop tracking and monitoring system on social enterprises
 
  • Work for passage of the Social Enterprise Bill
3. Foster wider MSME clustering via co-ops, “corporatives,” nucleus farming, other MSME collective mechanisms 
 
  • Foster a “Coopetition” mindset
  • Share and exchange good practices on clustering across the ASEAN member countries
 
  • DA, DTI & stakeholders to pursue clustering of agri-enterprises per town or province