To bolster widespread awareness of the buy local movement and the opportunities it could bring to MSMEs in the region, the DTI R2 SME Development Division continuously promotes its importance through the “Buy Local Regional Roadshow,” a buy-in meeting with the different government agencies for the proposed partnership on the adoption of the agency’s Buy Local Advocacy.
This was attended by the top officials of the Office of Civil Defense, Department of Labor and Employment, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, and the Department of Public Works and Highways on 08- 09 September 2022.
The roadshow intends to promote extensive awareness of the said advocacy and aims to encourage and unite the whole bureaucracy to adopt and implement a set-aside scheme, hand-in-hand with the different government agencies in the region, to ensure that MSMEs are getting their fair share of the government resources.
During the plenary, the Buy Local Advocacy and its salient features were presented, highlighting its goal of supporting the growth of MSMEs by optimizing the government’s potential as an alternative market and the single biggest buyer of local products and services.
Likewise, comprehensively discussed were the initiatives and other related programs for the MSMEs, the market-ready products of the region, and a rundown of interventions in enabling business opportunities and the activities of DTI R2 that have led to the strengthening of the Buy Local campaign.
Possible points for collaboration necessary for the growth and development of MSMEs were also tackled during the session.
The draft office order of the advocacy mandates to set aside at least 10% of the total procurement value of government agencies for the purchase of local products and services, as anchored by Sec 4 of RA 9501, also known as the Magna Carta for MSMEs.
To date, 22 government agencies and 82 out of the 98 provincial, municipal, and city LGUs in the region have passed their respective Buy Local Ordinances and office policies.
Meanwhile, DTI R2 hopes that through this activity, it will meet its target of 100% adoption of buying local in all the LGUs and government agencies of Region 2 by 2023.
The roadshow was led by the DTI R2-SMEDD Officers, namely: Division Chief Mr. Ramil Garcia, ADC, Atty. Michael Paggabao, STIDS Desiree Angolluan, STIDS Karen Balicha, TIDS Jeane Anonuevo, TIDA Jerick Galace, and Marketing Assistant Kate Aglipay. ♦
Date of Release: 20 September 2022