Go Negosyo founder Joey Concepcion has been elected as Vice Chairperson of the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise Development Council (MSMEDC) of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) during the 19th MSMED Council Meeting held at the DTI Office in Makati City.

The election came after Concepcion was appointed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. as member of the MSMEDC, representing Luzon, on May 16.

“It’s an honor to be elected as Vice Chairman of the MSMED Council. I will do my best to ensure that the welfare and development of micro, small and medium enterprises are properly addressed,” said Concepcion, who will assume the role for the second time under two Chief Executives.

During the time of former President Rodrigo Duterte, Concepcion was appointed as MSMEDC Vice Chairperson, on top of his role as Presidential Adviser on Entrepreneurship.

In his recent speech, Marcos commended Concepcion for investing his efforts to improve the MSME sector, particularly the agriculture industry, and to further revive the economy.

“He has been prominent recently in bringing together these partnerships, bringing together these synergies in our economy especially to help our MSMEs and, in the process, strengthening our middle class,” Marcos said, referring to the Go Negosyo founder.

The Chief Executive also acknowledged Concepcion’s immense contribution for the MSME sector, saying “has been doing this for most of his professional life.”

The MSMEDC was established under the Magna Carta for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises as an attached office of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

Under the law, the DTI chief will head the Council as Chairman while the members may elect from among themselves a Vice Chairman to preside over meetings in the absence of the Chairman.

The members of the Council are the Secretaries of Departments of Agriculture, Interior and Local Government, Science and Technology, and Tourism; chairman of the Small Business Corporation; three representatives from the MSME sector to represent Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao; a representative from the labor sector; and a representative from the private banking sector.

The MSMEDC is mandated to help establish the needed environment and opportunities conducive to the growth and development of the MSME sector and to recommend to the President and the Congress all policy matters affecting MSMEs, among others.