Ang atin pong talaga itinutulak para po ating Micro, Small and Medium Enteprises (MSMEs), lalo na in the field of design, fashion, isama na rin natin ‘yung mga aspeto ng pagnenegosyo that will really rely on design. To build on our creative industries. Ito po ay isang paraan para mapaaga, mapadali ang pag-recover ng ating mga MSMEs na alam natin na malaking naapektuhan ngayong pandemya simula last year 2020. 

But at this point, it’s a day to celebrate. We would like to congratulate ang mga graduates po ng OTOP MODA modernong obra, disenyong atin at napakagandang pangalan ng programa Manlilikha program. All 125 designers from 16 regions nag-participate po dito sa OTOP MODA Manlilikha designer competency course. Ang layunin po natin ay mapalakas ang competency of the designers lalo na po at ma-integrate natin itong mga local weavers. Ang mga design nila mapaganda, ma-promote po ang kanilang mga kagalingan, ang kanilang mga crafts. 

We would like to congratulate ang mga na-include sa five Best Outputs and five Most Outstanding Portfolios. The designers will be showcase po sa digital magazine na nilungsad po ng OTOP Project Management Office at mga MSMEs also can linked up with them, para sabay-sabay ma-elevate ang kani-kanilang mga business models. 

This is just the first batch of designers. There will be more to be trained in the future dito po sa programa sa MODA Manlilikha designers’ course for 2021. 

Fashion and creativity po isa po ito sa mga kilalang kagalingan ng mga Pilipino. Very creative, importante po ‘yan sa pagbibigay halaga sa ating mga negosyo lalo na sa mga MSMEs. The focus to increase the quality, the value of service, and design napakahalagang ingredient po iyan sa kahit anong negosyo. Kahit wala sa fashion. Kahit nasa industrial products, importante po talaga ang industrial design and all this creative stuff at the same time functional at maganda pang design. Ayan po ang nakakapag-attract ng magandang presyo. Ayan po ang nakakapag-attract ng magandang value ng isang produkto. 

Ang DTI po ngayon, apart from pushing for the manufacturing services, hindi lang simpleng manufacturing services. Kailangan malagyan talaga siya ng creativity. This will be the significant growth drivers ng ating Industry Manufacturing Services. 

At the same time, growth will lead to greater opportunities. Mas lumaki ang negosyo, mas marami ang magkakaroon ng trabaho. Of course, promoting creative goods, as exports will definitely improve our export performance ng ating bayan, ng ating mga exporters. DTI we’ll always be here supporting MSMEs, that is the core program po sa DTI lalo na po personally even prior to my stint dito po sa DTI, talaga pong involved tayo for the past 15 years sa MSMEs development. MSMEs are a big part of the economy, sa numero pa lang halos 100% na, 99.4% sa mga total establishments and they account for 65% of the employment. Ayan talaga ang aasahan natin sa economic rebound ngayong 2021. 

DTI may follow 7Ms framework, Mindset, paghuhubog ng mindset ng mga entrepreneurs, tinuturo ‘yung Mastery ng entrepreneurship or product development to marketing and financial literacy, business planning, may Mentoring pang kasama, Micro-financing, lahat po ito binibigay ni DTI, mga Machines, Shared Service facilities and at the same time pag may produkto na, even the Marketing of it. Lahat po ‘yan ay hinahandog po ng DTI, para talagang 360 degrees support sa atin pong mga MSMEs and this will really lead to a faster MSMEs recovery.  

Mabanggit ko lang din, ito pong hinihintay nating batas, CREATE Bill, ‘yung corporate recovery and incentives. Ito po ang magbibigay ng further boost and support sa MSMEs. Kasi po ang MSMEs nabigyan ng atensyon po dito. Ang major part ng CREATE Bill, na sana suportahan din ninyo, nasa bicameral na po sa Senado and Congress. Ito po ang magpapababa ng income tax rate from 30%, ngayon SMEs will have 20% sa oras na mapasa ang batas. 

Lamang po ang MSMEs, ang mga large companies from 30% bababa lang sa 25%. Ang SMEs from 30% to 20%. ‘Yung po ang advantage po ng MSMEs todo suporta na po at pag nasa eligible industries, kahit SMEs puwedeng mag-register sa CREATE Bill. Para po magkaroon ng mga iba pang incentives. Kung eligible, it can be an income tax holiday for 4 years to 7 years at pagkatapos mag-graduate into a lower corporate income tax. Corporate tax rate of 5% of gross income. Hopefully maipasa po ito pag-reopen ng Congress next week. 

Again, pasasalamat natin dito sa OTOP MODA Manlilikha program, we can link this with MSMEs, to train young designers to enhance competencies, designer and partners to help MSMEs in product design and development. With the help of veteran designers na naki-partner po sa DTI, tumutulong sa atin. Maraming salamat po sa inyo, kayo pong mga mentors.  

Ang mga designers tumutulong sa MSMEs, para ang mga MSMEs ay talagang mag-differentiate. Ang kasabihan nga isang marketing guru, si Jack Trout, sinabi “differentiate or die.” Kailangan talaga kahit anong negosyo, hindi lang MSMEs, kahit yung mga malalaki, they have to differentiate or die. Ito po ang mag-lead to more innovations that will allow us to survive and thrive and to grow further ang mga negosyo. Ang importante po “Bakit bibilhin ang negosyo?,” “Ano ang differentiation mo?,” “Bakit ikaw ang bibilihan ko at hindi iba?”—these will really be the key to your success. 

Kasama rin po sa aking pasasalamatan of course si Ms. Universe, Catriona Gray as OTOP Ambassador. Marami po siyang natutulong, creating videos para ma-promote ang mga regional MSMEs’ products. Thank you very much for being a very helpful and dynamic OTOP Ambassador. As we transitioned almost everything to digital platforms, we also support MSMEs for putting your business in e-commerce. Mag-register rin sa Intellectual Property, para ‘yung inyong mga creation or brand ay maprotektahan at hindi puwedeng agawin or basta kopyahin ng iba. ‘Yung IP mindset ay isa rin po sa pinu-promote ng DTI, pati libreng registration kasama na rin diyan.  

There are other programs, ‘yung special program for acceleration recovery, mga free seminars, OTOP Nextgen for buyers and sellers, Digital integration of OTOP Hubs and onboarding. Lastly, our Buy Local, Go Lokal marketing campaign ng DTI. Let me just emphasized the importance of this, to help MSMEs stand up and be seen by the crowd. Sabi nga ni Mr. Tom kahapon, “it’s not just about being better, it’s about being different.” You need to the people a reason to choose your business. Kailangan may kakaiba, bakit ikaw ang bibilhin, ayun dapat ang masasagot ng entrepreneur. Ang designers naka-support sa MSMEs sa product designing development, nandiyan rin po and it will lead us to success para lumaki ang negosyo niyo, mas maraming makapagtrabaho and this will all realized ang vision ng ating Pangulong Rodrigo Roa Duterte na mabigyan lahat ng Pilipino ng isang masaganang comfortable quality of life. 

Magandang umaga po sa inyong lahat at more power to you. ♦

Date of Release: 15 January 2021