Business groups urge businesses to support local products

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) and the Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. (Philexport) are calling on other business groups to take part in a campaign to promote and patronize local products and services to help revive micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) struggling with the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19 pandemic.

In a statement, PCCI president Benedicto Yujuico said  the country’s largest business group is enjoining industry associations, local chambers and other business organizations to enlist in the Pinas Muna! campaign which encourages Filipinos to use more local products and services.

“Philippine businesses, especially the MSMEs, have been badly hit by the lockdowns due to the pandemic. The least PCCI can do is rally the whole country to patronize their businesses, from products to services,” he said.

“Pinas Muna! can be the integrating campaign of many government and private sector programs aimed at encouraging our countrymen to avail of Filipino products and services such as Buy Lokal of the Department of Trade and Industry, Pasyal Na! for helping promote domestic tourism, Sarap Pinoy! for pushing local food products and a myriad of other campaigns,” he said.

For his part, Philexport president Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr. said the campaign would be helpful for local businesses as the country shifts to a post-COVID environment.

“As the country begins its recovery phase for the economy, Philippine enterprises need all the help they can get especially in propping up the market and the demand for their products,” he said.

Given weak demand from overseas, he said the country’s exporters are relying on the domestic market for their products.

“We will not discriminate against imported goods, but in the short-term we are left with few options but to patronize local goods and services,” he said.

Yujuico said  supporting local businesses by purchasing their products and services should be the mindset of all Filipinos during this challenging time.

“At the end of the day, Pinas Muna! can also be regarded as a job-saving strategy so MSMEs can restart their economic activities,” he said.

Both PCCI and Philexport have an extensive network in the country representing mostly MSMEs.

MSMEs are considered the country’s engine of growth as they account for bulk or 99.52 percent of all registered businesses.