Poe听seeks听review of lockdown impact on听food听MSMEs听听
A LAWMAKER听filed a resolution asking the Senate to assess the impact of听lockdowns听on micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), especially in the food and beverage industry, and come up with recommendations for their recovery.听听
鈥淢SMEs should be part of the equation when we plan the implementation of lockdowns. If we keep leaving them out, it will be harder for our economy to bounce back with not many businesses left after the pandemic,鈥澨齭aid听Senator听Mary Grace S. Poe-Llamanzares听in a press release听on Sunday.听听
She cited听the Department of Trade and Industry report that听as of June,听10% of MSMEs have been forced to shut down.听听听
The听Philippine Statistics Authority鈥檚听2019 List of Establishments听show 99.5% of businesses in the country are MSMEs. Accommodation and food services are the second biggest sector for MSMEs.听听听
鈥淲hile the government鈥檚 effort to infuse capital in support of MSMEs and the prioritization of their employees in the vaccination rollout are laudable, we need more long-term and sustainable recovery roadmaps for the foreseeable future,鈥澨齭aid Ms. Poe-Llamanzares听in her Senate Resolution No. 817.听听
The resolution stated that due to the nature of the food service industry听where inputs have a short听shelf life, it is among the top MSME groups gravely affected by听switching听quarantine restrictions.听听
Defend Jobs Philippines said that 80% of food establishments were severely hit by the lockdown implemented in March,听which restricted dine-in services. The group said听only 20% were able to recover their losses through take-out and delivery听services.听听
Ms. Poe-Llamanzares said that on top of these听business听losses, more workers in the food service industry are losing their jobs.听听
According to the 2018 Census of Philippine Business and Industry, 377,227 workers were employed in restaurants and mobile food service activities.听听
鈥淭his is our new normal, and it calls for a better response from us. We need to be at least one step ahead, because every lockdown can鈥檛 feel like we鈥檙e taking two steps back,鈥澨齮he senator听said.听鈥斕鼳lyssa Nicole O. Tan听
