Speech

Speech by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. at the 2024 Presidential Awards for Outstanding Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and Presidential Recognition for Outstanding Development Partners


Event 2024 Presidential Awards for Outstanding MSMEs and Presidential Recognition for Outstanding Development Partners
Location Ceremonial Hall of Malacañan Palace

Thank you, Secretary Fred Pascual for your kind introduction.

[Please, if you would like to take your seats.]

The Executive Secretary, Secretary Chief Luc Bersamin; the MSMEDC Vice Chair and Founder of Go Negosyo, Joey Concepcion; our partners, most valuable partners in the private sector; my fellow workers in government; distinguished guests; ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon.

We are here today for a very important commemoration as we recognize the recipients of the 2024 Presidential Awards for Outstanding Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and the Presidential Recognition for Outstanding Development Partners.

Standing before us are the dreamers, the risk-takers, and innovators who are helping us to accelerate the growth of our economy and of our society.

The first batch that we will recognize today will be our outstanding development partners — a diverse group coming from various local government units, national government agencies, the academe, and NGOs.

By improving the local business climate; encouraging access to finance, markets, technologies, and innovations; and enhancing management and labor capacities, these awardees have helped prime local businesses to flourish and to succeed.

Because of their steadfast support, they enabled entrepreneurs to focus on what they do best, which is to create jobs, opportunities, and growth.

Our next batch of awardees are the MSMEs that have shown excellent capacity not only in generating revenue but also in encouraging sustainability, social justice, and ecological awareness in all that they do.

Truly, they show us what an ideal local enterprise should look like — environmentally conscious, community-driven, and socially responsible.

It is important not only for us to show our appreciation to them but also to encourage other government and non-government entities, academic institutions,
[and] entrepreneurs to follow their [examples].

You can expect that this administration will continue to conduct activities like these to highlight the exemplars in this sector, with the hope of promoting their best practices throughout the country.

Apart from this, the government — through the DTI — will continue to lead the MSME Development Council in formulating a comprehensive strategy that will foster [a] dynamic industry ecosystem for our businesses.

Aptly titled the MSME Development Plan [2023-2028], this strategic roadmap is structured around further improving the business environment, enhancing the skills and innovation, and expanding market access.

We will be institutionalizing this plan through an Executive Order that will set the specific roles and outline the procedures and activities for all involved agencies.

Currently, the DTI is working with the MSME Development Council and the Office of the President to finalize this Executive Order.

So, let us collaborate on this endeavor and remind us that the way forward for MSMEs lies in our ability to innovate, collaborate, and to persevere.

Let us remember that we sustain our patronage of, support for, and solidarity with our local businesses.

For every enterprise that we support, every innovation that we foster, [and] every product that we bring to [the] market, we create the opportunities for our fellow Filipinos to succeed and to build inroads for our economy to thrive and to prosper.

With this foremost in our minds, let us continue moving forward and pushing the boundaries for our MSMEs and hence, our economy.

Congratulations to all our outstanding MSMEs and development partners! We certainly appreciate your contributions in helping us achieve a more prosperous Bagong Pilipinas.

Mabuhay kayong lahat! [applause]

Maraming salamat po at magandang hapon po sa inyong lahat. [applause]

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