Senate passes bill on shared-service facilities for MSMEs听
THE SENATE has approved a bill seeking to establish common service facilities or production centers for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) nationwide.听听
The proposed measure will institutionalize the Trade and Industry department鈥s shared service facilities (SSF) program that was launched in 2013 and has since set up various communal centers for equipment and training initiatives.听听听
On Monday, 22 senators voted 鈥yes鈥 to Senate Bill No. 2021, while none negated nor abstained.听听听
According to the measure, SSFs will give MSMEs 鈥access to better technology and more sophisticated equipment to accelerate their bid for competitiveness,鈥 and help them enter the global supply chain.听听
The DTI, alongside relevant government agencies, local government units, private institutions, and stakeholders, will establish SSF-Fabrication Laboratories in at least one strategic location per province to assist MSMEs.听听听
The laboratories will be attached to state or local universities and colleges, private schools, colleges and universities, and government academic training institutions in the province.听听
A similar measure was filed at the House of Representatives last week.听
Funding for the program will come from the national budget under the DTI. 鈥 Beatriz Marie D. Cruz听
