It is election season once again and many of the senatorial candidates are visiting different cities and provinces to do their campaign runs. While there are many platforms and projects, our entrepreneurs would want to hear their stands on micro, small, and medium enterprise development, youth and women empowerment, and other areas that would support the booming growth of the business environment in the country.

Many of the senate candidates have long been part of the Go Negosyo advocacy.

Former special assistant to the president Bong Go is a proud advocate of entrepreneurship. In our recent Mentor Me On Wheels last January, he shared, “Napakalaking tulong itong programang ito (Mentor Me On Wheels) ni PA Joey Concepcion para sa mga maliliit na negosyo at negosyante. Mahalaga para sa akin ang kabuhayan ng ating mga kababayan lalo na ang mga micro, small at medium enterprises. Sinusuportahan ko ang mga kababayan natin na nagnanais na magtayo ng negosyo upang mai-angat ang sarili at ang pamilya. I am really honored to speak before you and to be invited here at Mentor Me. Asahan ninyo na patuloy nating susuportahan ang programa ng Go Negosyo. Papalawigin natin ang pagkakaroon ng libreng seminar at training gaya ng adbokasiya ng Go Negosyo.”

Aside from this, Go supports the programs of my office as presidential adviser for entrepreneurship by treating the programs as priority in President Duterte’s agenda which supports the mission of inclusive growth in the country. President Duterte has attended many entrepreneurship-related engagements that support the growth of entrepreneurs in the country. These program are also being implemented by the Department of Trade and Industry led by Sec. Ramon Lopez.

While the TRAIN Law is seen as an additional burden to many, Sen. Sonny Angara shared that it is actually pro-small enterprises because it helps enterprises grow. In his speech during the Mentor Me On Wheels, he said, “Under the TRAIN Law, if you are making 250,000 net income, you don’t have to pay any taxes kaya pro-small enterprises po siya. Then if you are making gross sales or earnings a year above P250,000 and below P3 million, you have a choice under the TRAIN Law. Either you can pay a flat tax of a percent based on your gross or you can pay the personal income tax raised where they deduct your business operation gross and expenses.” Angara is also a staunch supporter of Go Negosyo.

Sen. Cynthia Villar and Grace Poe both supported our women empowerment and entrepreneurship programs. They have been invited to several Go Negosyo Summits in which they have inspired and empowered the MSMEs. Sen. Villar also support the agri-entrepreneurs in the agriculture sector. She authored the Farm Tourism Development law which promotes farm tourism as a viable new venture for agriculture.

Senator Grace Poe, on the other hand, joined us recently for the Youth Entrepreneurship Summit. She shared that she supports digitalization through the Free Internet Access in Public Places Act, which she sponsored, which will help our entrepreneurs reach a wider market and access to money platforms and online mentorship. She said during the program, “Entrepreneurs can work anywhere for as long as there is a wifi signal, and connectivity is good and fast. We are really pushing for this because it is vital for us to be able to compete kahit na ang mga negosyo ninyo na naka-base halimbawa sa Tuguegarao, ay pwede na ring maging tanyag kahit saan sa Pilipinas o sa buong mundo kung maganda ang connection ninyo.”

Of course, we also have Sen.Bam Aquino who was a social entrepreneur himself prior to becoming a public servant. He authored the Go Negosyo Law which paved the way for better support for MSMEs in the country. This also helped establish more than 1,000 Negosyo Centers nationwide, which supports aspiring and existing entrepreneurs. Bam also supported entrepreneurs through his Microfinance Institute Act and also the Youth Entrepreneurship Act. But aside from this legislative support to our entrepreneurs, his recent achievement is dedicated to many students. The Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Law made education free to many of our youth today.

In his speech in one of our mentoring programs, Sen. Aquino shared, “We will continue to support Go Negosyo and DTI, our Mentoring on Wheels, and we are here to make sure na lahat ng mga kailangan ng MSME’s makukuha po ng ating entrepreneurs.”These are just some of the candidates who support MSME development. While we do not campaign for anyone, we value the support that they extend to the advocacy. We do need a partner in the government as we continue to help our micro and small entrepreneurs. May these programs be helpful as you decide who to vote for this coming elections.