Mahalin ang Ating Kultura: Sen. Loren and Kultura: Making micro-entrepreneurs matter

MANILA, Philippines - Collectively, micro-entrepreneurs have a macro effect on the Philippine economy. After all, micro, small, and medium enterprises or MSMEs comprise 99.6 percent of the total business enterprises operating in the country. More than just being the lifeblood of the Philippine economy, Senator Loren Legarda considers these as “powerful platforms for the promotion of viable livelihoods, cultural preservation, socio-economic empowerment for indigenous people, and environmental protection.”

As the author of the “Magna Carta for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises,” which was enacted as Republic Act No. 9501 in 2008, Senator Loren has launched several initiatives to make sure that support is available for micro-entrepreneur projects around the country. And her work with MSMEs has touched the lives of those close to her heart, particularly indigenous peoples and women.

In 2012, she sponsored and launched the HIBLA Pavilion of Textiles and Weaves of the Philippines, which was one of the highlights of the 2012 Manila FAME Design and Lifestyle Event. The event opened doors of opportunity to weaving communities and Schools of Living Traditions to showcase their textiles and weaving traditions. These include the Ivatans, Iraya Mangyans, Hanunuo Mangyans, Maguindanaons, Gaddangs, Panay Bukidnons, Blaans, Ata Manobos, Subanens and T’bolis.

Likewise, as a working mom, she is aware that “women, especially housewives, usually explore opportunities for extra income for their households. It is why we help provide viable income alternatives to women when we support the micro-entrepreneurs.”

As early as her first term, Senator Loren supported the TESDA Women Center Alumni Association (TWCAA), which trains women in entrepreneurship and livelihood skills.

As the only female senator who topped the Senate race twice, with more than 15 million votes in 1998 and 18.4 million votes in 2007, Senator Legarda has been at the forefront of many landmark laws. In the senatorial elections last May, she was the top choice among re-elected senators with 18.66 million votes.

The MSME Law provides more assistance to entrepreneurs by requiring lending institutions to allocate at least eight percent, an increase from the previous six percent, of their total loan portfolio and small businesses. It also provides access to new technologies and regular entrepreneurship training programs for workers to ensure the viability and growth of MSMEs in the country.

This, along with other programs for MSMEs, has generated a total employment of over 920,000 from July 2011 to July 2012 alone according to the Department of Trade and Industry and about 76,000 industries expanded their operations.

Beyond the vigorous promotion and implementation of the MSME Law, Senator Loren also authored “The Barangay Kabuhayan Law” or RA 9509, which aims to establish a Livelihood and Skills Training Center in fourth, fifth, and sixth class municipalities. This empowers local governments to enhance the productive capabilities of their large yet untapped human resource, and to open doors for employment and entrepreneurial opportunities in the countryside.

In 2011, the number of enrollees who graduated from TESDA’s Barangay Livelihood programs hit 43,832 out of 44,537 enrollees. More recently, TESDA records show that 29,877 out of 31,218 enrollees in these programs graduated from January to August 2012.

Recently, Senator Loren has proposed a measure that would provide micro-entrepreneurs more and better opportunities to expand their business with the creation of the micro-enterprise development institutions (MEDIs) that will expand, enhance, and promote access of the poor to microfinance services such as credit, insurance, savings, and health care, enabling them to operate their own productive economic opportunities.

During one of her visits to Kultura Filipino in SM Makati, Senator Loren was happy to discover that Kultura shares her advocacy for micro-entrepreneurship. 

“Kultura addresses the need for businesses to provide avenues for micro-entrepreneur projects to succeed,” Senator Loren said.  â€œI find Kultura’s support for micro-entrepreneurial programs laudable, and I hope more business ventures would follow and consider such an exemplary and worthwhile investment. Our support for micro-enterprises is one way to promote inclusive growth,” she added.

Senator Loren took note of Country Favorites products, beautifully woven pandan bags made by micro-entrepreneurs in various communities.

Kultura Filipino is located in SM Makati, SM Megamall, the SM Mall of Asia, SM City Cebu, SM Lanang Premier, and in selected SM stores.