MANILA, June 16 (PNA) — The House of Representatives has ratified the reconciled version of Senate Bill No. 2046 and House Bill No. 4595 or the proposed “Go Negosyo Act.”
The measure promotes the development of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to ease doing business in all cities and municipalities in the country.
The ratified bicameral conference committee report was sponsored by the House Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship Development, chaired by An Waray party-list Rep. Neil Benedict A. Montejo.
Las Pinas Rep. Mark Villar, one of the authors of the consolidated bill, said the measure shall facilitate access to financing and capability building programs for MSMEs and promote employment generation in all cities and municipalities of the country.
“Providing this sector with better incentives and benefits, more access to focused support for enhanced business performance, promoting support to key growth industries and facilitating financing support programs that are much-needed for growth will help improve the design and implementation of the nation’s MSMEs sector,” he said.
Quezon City Rep. Winston Castelo, another author of the measure, said MSMEs, now more than ever, have an important socioeconomic role in the nation’s machinery.
“Unemployment numbers are growing, and we have to realize that allocating effort and resources towards a strong and thriving MSME sector not only sustains, but also leads to the creation of considerable and promising net employment,” he said.
For his part, Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez said the bill provides a “start-up fund” for MSMEs to be sourced from the MSME Development Fund and Barangay Micro Business Enterprises (BMBEs) to provide financing for the development and promotion of MSMEs in priority sectors of the economy.
Under the measure, a ““Negosyo Center” shall be established in all provinces, cities and municipalities under the supervision of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development (MSMED) Council.
The Negosyo Centers shall be responsible for promoting ease of doing business and access to services for MSMEs within its jurisdiction.
It shall accept and facilitate all registration applications for MSMEs, integrate a unified business process system, encourage government institutions that are related to the business application process and supply information and services in training, financing and marketing.
A unified and simplified business registration form shall be created by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and shall be made available in all Negosyo Centers.
The Philippine Information Agency (PIA), through the Office of Public Information in each city or municipality, and in coordination with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), shall ensure the proper and adequate information dissemination of the contents and benefits of this Act to the general public, especially to its intended beneficiaries, particularly in the barangay level. (PNA)