BANAUE, Ifugao – Officials of the national and local chapters of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) assured that the organization and concerned government agencies are willing to extend technical and financial assistance to ensure the robust growth of micro- small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) not only in the province but also in the Cordillera.
Engr. Marciano L. Garcia, PCCI-CAR Regional Governor, informed the 43 initial members of the PCCI Ifugao chapter that the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) can provide interested entrepreneurs of no interest loans up to P2 million in order to help improve the state of business in their respective areas of operation.
“The PICC-CAR is willing to extend assistance to our local entrepreneurs for them to avail of the needed financial and technical assistance in order to improve their products. We are optimistic of a robust economy of the province with the help of the growth of MSMEs,” Garcia stressed.
He advised local entrepreneurs interested to avail of no interest loans from concerned government agencies to prepare a good business plan and feasibility study for their respective projects and seek the endorsement of the PCCI for the group to assist the businessmen in facilitating the release of their desired loans.
For his part, Engr. Alfonso T. Lao, PCCI Northern Luzon area vice president, called on the PCCI Ifugao chapter members to remain united amidst their individual differences because their unity, teamwork and solidarity will make their group the voice of the province’s business sector and that they will be able to be instrumental in working out the crafting of business-friendly economic policies by the local government.
Lao cited the experience of the PCCI Baguio-Benguet Chapter in the mid-1990s where the group was able to seek judicial intervention to prevent the city government from excessively adjusting the taxes which went up to the Supreme Court (SC) that forced the local government to reduce the levels of taxes through a revised ordinance that repealed the previous tax ordinance.
“Lao said he was able to visit the different parts of Cordillera, except for the province of Apayao, being a PCCI official through the series of consultations initiated by the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) and that he is optimistic of the bright prospects of economic growth regionwide through the resiliency of the people and the development of infrastructure that would attract the influx of investors.
“We want to assist our local entrepreneurs in the different parts of the region so that they will be able to ship out their products in order for them to have bigger income and profit,” Lao said.
Garcia and Lao envision the organization of PCCI chapters in Kalinga and Mountain Province in the coming months in order to strengthen the region’s projected robust economic growth beneficial in generating more jobs for the people and providing opportunities for socio-economic growth in the countryside.
Lao also encouraged local businessmen to actively participate in future capability building events organized by the regional and national chapters for them to be exposed to the latest trends in business development. By Dexter A. See
