Cayetano pushes for expansion of coops, promotion of livelihood

CEBU, Philippines - Apart from his expressed intention to support the local furniture and export industry, Senate minority leader Alan Cayetano pushes for his advocacy towards access to cheap capital for micro and small entrepreneurs, expand existing cooperatives and promote livelihood programs among the Filipino masses. 

These platforms from his “Presyo, Trabaho, Kita” (PiTiK) program are intended to eliminate the rampant “5-6” loan practice and to trickle down the 6.6 percent growth in gross domestic product (GDP) to the grassroot levels. 

Cayetano is running for re-election as a senator under the Nacionalista Party with the Team PNoy coalition.

He recently visited Cebu for a listening tour and had a dialogue with the workers of a furniture company in the northern part of the province. 

Although the country achieved a surprising economic growth, he lamented that Filipinos still resort to borrowing money from loan sharks due to minimal earnings and still end up in the poverty state.

He then suggested for the government to invest in the creation, establishment and expansion of cooperatives that will allow members to get loans with three to five percent interest rates compared to the 20-percent charged by ‘5-6” loan operators.

He also advised Filipino couples to work together to boost the family income and promote the saving culture by venturing into livelihood programs.

He further urged the workers to take advantage of the skills training programs offered by government agencies such as the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority to be versatile in various businesses. 

To enhance the good investment climate in the country,Cayetano cited that the government has to address the hurdles of attracting investors which includes peace and order, high electricity prices, varying systems and policies, graft and corruption.

He also recommended a provision of incentive fund or system for local government units to promote the spirit of entrepreneurship in the community. 

He pointed out that the government sector has to change its mentality on the need to earn profit but focus instead to provide more employment opportunities among Filipinos it serves.

“What we want is to get more of 100 million Filipinos to have the purchasing power. Dadami ang trabaho, tataas ang kita, mas magiging affordable ang mga pamilihin. Kahit walang kita ang gobyerno basta meron ang tao, nagbebenefit na ang buong bansa. As long as sila ang kumikita,lahat nagbabayad ng tax and they would eventually depend less on the government,” he stated.

Although he admitted that the national economic progress would take time to reach the grassroots level, Cayetano said that the government could work on enacting measures and implementing programs that could help speed it up.  (FREEMAN)