Legarda To PNOY: Implement Micro Small Medium Enterprises and Barangay Kabuhayan Laws

SENATOR LOREN LEGARDA TODAY ASKED PRESIDENT NOYNOY AQUINO TO FUND AND IMPLEMENT TWO LAWS WHICH SHE AUTHORED – REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9501 OR THE “MAGNA CARTA FOR SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES” WHICH PROMOTES ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9507 ESTABLISHING LIVELIHOOD AND SKILLS TRAINING CENTERS IN 4TH, 5TH AND 6TH CLASS MUNICIPALITIES OR THE “BARANGAY KABUHAYAN ACT” FOR EMPLOYMENT GENERATION.
“We need to generate more job opportunities because poverty is the primary problem by establishing a self sufficient industrial foundation.”
“The spirit of these two laws is to help especially the underprivileged by expanding their capacities to economic productivity, increase their incomes.”
Legarda said Republic Act No. 9501 otherwise known as the “Magna Carta for Small and Medium Enterprises” targets countryside industrialization through the following:
1. Intensifying and expanding programs for training in entrepreneurship and for skills development for labor;
2. Facilitating access of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises to sources of funds;
3. Assuring them access to a fair share of government contracts and related incentives and preferences;
4. Complementing and supplementing financing programs for Micro Small and Medium Enterprises and doing away with burdensome collateral requirements that small entrepreneurs find difficulty in complying with;
5. Instituting safeguards for the protection and stability of the credit delivery system;
6. Promoting linkage between large and small enterprises by encouraging the establishment of common service facilities;
7. Making the private sector a partner in the task of building up Micro Small and Medium Enterprises through the promotion and participation of private voluntary organizations, viable industry associations and cooperatives; and
8. Establishing a feedback, grievance and evaluation mechanism.
“We must laud President Noynoy Aquino’s message on participatory government in engaging the private sector, but the Administration must comply with the transparency provisions in dealing with them.”
“Republic Act No. 9507 intends to insure that all livelihood and skills training offered by government are properly coordinated and implemented at the municipal level.”
Legarda also concurred with President Noynoy’s supporting the Universal Health Coverage program. Senator Legarda said that among her priority bills this 15th Congress is Senate Bill No. 4, an assurance that especially indigent Filipinos who are more vulnerable to health risks be granted basic health care services because access to basic health care from government continues to be a problem.
“The slow response of the previous the Administration is because the country’s total health expenditures remains low, in fact way below the standard set by the World Health Organization, ” Legarda explained.
Legarda concluded, “I have confidence that President Aquino has the political will to enforce these laws because he helped me push for the passage of these bills into law when he was still a Senator.”