Revival of SMED-Council Visayas strengthens SMEs

CEBU, Philippines — The revival of the Small and Medium Enterprise Development (SMED-Council) in the Visayas is seen to empower the small and medium businesses in the region, as it aims to push pressing issues that impede growth and competitiveness.

Newly appointed SMED-Council representative for the Visayas Melanie C. Ng vowed to bring up shared concerns of the Visayan entrepreneurs to government decision-makers, such as the long-time issue of access to finance, lack of management and operational skills, ability to scale up in technology/proficiency in digital technology, familiarity with e-commerce, financial management, among others.

Ng, the former president of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI), currently sits as the regional governor for the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI-Central Visayas).

“The Council will soon convene and I will bring insights and inputs from the Visayas Business and our MSMEs to the Council. I'm humbled to have been appointed and I'm determined to work hard on the MSMEs initiatives from the 3 regions in the Visayas. Foremost would be the technology update and digitalization initiatives that can help propel our MSMEs forward in this technology-driven business landscape,” Ng pledged.

With this new assignment, Ng vowed to communicate and align with the MSMED Councils from the three regions in the Visayas and get inputs as soon as possible, “so I can relay the same to the national council.”

According to Ng, her position as the PCCI-Central Visayas governor provides her easier access to the stakeholders and know their pulse, concerns, and issues, “because I can get [direct] inputs from my fellow Governors in the Visayas on the particular concerns of MSMEs in their region. We can be the channel to elevate MSMES concerns and best practices from the countryside  to the National level as we work together to uplift our economy in the country.”

At the outset, Ng said what is clear to her right now, is also the problem of MSMEs in order to thrive amid the overwhelming competition is improvement in branding, packaging, and marketing to expand market reach—not just on the domestic front, but to global consumers.

Business planning and business resiliency planning to prepare for future calamities are also seen to be the priority issues that she wants the national SMED Council to give attention to.

She added that most businesses within the region are suffering more than other areas in the country as they not only facing the ill effects of the pandemic, but also the losses they incurred during the super typhoon Odette.

In 1991, the Philippine government enacted the Magna Carta for Small Enterprises under the Republic Act number 6977. One of the provisions is the creation of the SMED Council to consolidate incentives available for SMEs, along with the creation of SB Corporation to address SME financing needs; allocation of credit resources to SMEs by mandating all lending institutions to set aside eight percent of their total loan portfolio to SMEs (six percent for small and two percent for medium enterprises).

Members of the SMED Council are tasked to promote the productivity and viability of MSMEs by way of directing and/or assisting relevant government agencies and institutions at the national, regional, and provincial levels towards the provision of business training courses, and technical training for technicians and skilled workers. — (FREEMAN)