At least 50 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) participants from the Cagayan Valley region attended a consultation workshop recently as they shared valuable insights on the challenges and gaps that they have encountered in accomplishing their growth targets over the last 12 months.
Led by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-Region 2, the workshop was held in Cauayan, Isabela earlier this month and taught the participants ways of addressing their concerns while also assisting them in attaining the region’s development goals toward an improved business environment, capacity, and opportunities.
The workshop has successfully convened the Regional MSME Development Council in Cagayan Valley, as well as members of the Provincial Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development (PMSMED) Council, the Regional Line Agencies representatives, private sector, academe, the MSME sector, and other relevant stakeholders.
Startup PH founder Carlo Valencia, who served as facilitator of the workshop, said that among the outputs presented during the event were the strategic goals, challenges and opportunities, strengths, and gaps in the region’s MSME Plan in terms of reaching targets, executing identified strategies and visioning for the MSME sector.
Optimizing MSME’s contribution to rebuilding the economy
During the event, the DTI also bared its plans for MSMEs through the Regional Consultation Workshop for the Evaluation of the MSME Development Plan 2017-2022 and the drafting of the MSMEDP 2023-2028.
In a press statement, DTI Region 2 Director Leah Pulido said that the regional consultation workshop aims to review the current plan, which is already in its final year of implementation, to be able to realign the agency’s activities and discuss possible areas of collaboration that focuses on MSMEDP’s strategic goals and objectives.
In expressing the agency’s firm and resolute commitment to equipping MSMEs with proper interventions, Pulido also said that the trade department has always been on the lookout for any new programs that can help the MSME sector “to grow and optimize their contributions to rebuilding the economy.”
During the event, she also emphasized the agency’s goal of focusing on the strengths of the region and aligning all efforts toward one direction, particularly the positioning of Region 2 as an industrial supplier of pre-processed products; developing export commodities such as ube, mungbean and aquamarine products; and continuous upgrading of MSME and product certifications.
She adds that DTI Region 2 is now hoping to craft a more effective strategy and approach that is aimed at effectively addressing the needs of MSMEs in the Cagayan Valley region, which is currently comprised of the provinces of Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, and the island province of Batanes.
For his part, Henry Conel Jr., DTI Cagayan provincial director, commended the outputs of the participants and the strategies presented by Valencia. He also acknowledged the commitments of the participants to help advance the growth and competitiveness of MSMEs in the region.
He added that right now, the DTI’s goal is to focus on approaches that support the needed development of MSMEs so they can continuously innovate and become globally competitive. During the consultation, the region’s accomplishments and unique interventions for MSME development were also tackled.
Some of these interventions include the Buy Local Advocacy, Walang Sayang Project, One Town One Product or OTOP Hub on Wheels, Grand Bagsakan, Youth Entrepreneurship Program for Indigenous Peoples, culture-oriented product development, mentoring sessions, financing programs, livelihood seeding programs, export, and e-commerce initiatives, among others.