MSME nat'l conference sked July 19-20 in Cebu

By Rey Anthony H. Chiu

Tuesday 17th of July 2012

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, July 17 (PIA) -- The government brings together the country’s national and provincial entrepreneurs to the first Micro-Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Development Council’s National Conference on July 19-20 in Cebu City.

Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) 7 Regional Director Aster Caberte said the activity is a follow through to the regional MSMED Council Congress that seeks to give greater awareness on the MSMED crucial role as well as to generate commitment and action from the government and the administration’s big push policy for MSME development.

DTI’s Bureau of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development (BMSMED) serves as its secretariat for the National MSMED Council that partnered with Deutsche Gesellschaft für International Zusammenarbeit Private Sector Promotion Program (GIZ PSP) who jointly organizes the first MSMED Councils National Conference.

The conference is a venue for the government to present the highlights of the DTI and GIZ PSP Program and its contribution to MSME development while it clarifies the functional mandates of the Provincial MSMED Councils (PSMEDCs).

Activities lined up for the conference include, presentation of policy formulation, program advocacy, program coordination, integration, good practices such as the use of the GIZ Capacity WORKS management model and others exemplifying the delivery of the MSMEDC functions.

The event is a showcase of value chain and local regional economic development (LRED) approaches adapted in the implementation of the MSME development plan.

Caberte added that exemplary initiatives on development of global themes that include gender, climate change, migration and corporate social responsibility will also be focused.

The conference will present the collection of all provincial MSMED Councils policy, program, activity and project (PPAP) proposals that require the attention of national government agencies which the National MSMED Council will endorse to appropriate agencies.

“Knowledge products” such as collaterals on the PPAPs that were introduced and implemented by the provincial MSMED councils will likewise be placed on exhibit as a side event during the Conference. (mbcn/rahc-PIA7 Bohol)