SENATOR Christopher “Bong” Go said the government aims to ensure that the country’s economic growth is sustained as he vowed to push for measures and policies that will boost further economic recovery by next year.

During the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Presidentiables’ Forum held on November 18 at the 47th Philippine Business Conference and Expo, Go said that in the immediate term, one of the government’s goal is to provide assistance to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

“Many small businesses have indeed suffered immediate losses as a result of the pandemic but many businesses have emerged and have thrived amid these challenging times,” Go pointed out.

“The Duterte Administration has continued to provide employment facilitation and training programs to enhance the skills of micro, small and medium entrepreneurs,” he added.

To this end, Go cited the need to strengthen the capacity of the Land Bank of the Philippines and the Development Bank of the Philippines in order to provide much-needed access to credit and financial assistance to distressed businesses. The senator also pointed out the need to lower the overall cost of borrowing for MSMEs.

Go further explained that in the long term, focus must shift to rural development and the need to pump prime commercial and industrial developments outside the National Capital Region and Luzon.

Aside from these measures, Go said that the government will increase the number of Negosyo Centers established nationwide and continue the Pondo sa Pagbabago at Pag-asenso initiative. The Department of Trade and Industry has also established its COVID-19 Assistance to Restart Enterprises that provides simplified and easy-to-access loan services.

Go also shared some of the economic measures that he supported to aid in the country’s recovery. These include the passage of Republic Act 11534, otherwise known as the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises Act, which lowered the corporate income tax to help struggling MSMEs to cope with the pandemic.

Go also stressed the need to sustain the Build, Build, Build program with the help of the private sector, noting that as an archipelago the country needs connectivity through infrastructure projects such as airports, seaports, roads and bridges.

“To sustain Build, Build, Build, we will partner with the private sector, improve and strongly pursue the collection of taxes and exercise prudent fiscal management. To ensure the Build, Build, Build program’s integrity, we will intensify our anti-corruption efforts and promote Freedom of Information in the program,” he added.

Go, a presidential aspirant, also said that if elected, he will continue to address bureaucratic hurdles, mentioning that he co-authored and co-sponsored RA 11517, an act expediting the processing and issuance of national and local permits, licenses and certifications in times of national emergency.

“As a probinsiyano, I want to see equal opportunities across the regions. Walang isla ang mapag-iiwanan,” he added.

Go further noted that the Duterte Administration has made government more responsive by institutionalizing reforms to streamline government processes, such as, among others, the enactment of RA 11032 or the Ease of Doing Business Act; creation of an Anti-Red Tape Authority or ARTA; facilitation of the transition to E-Governance; and implementation of the Philippine ID System.

The senator also shared that he has a pending bill in the Senate, the E-Governance Act, which can serve partly as a blueprint and model on how to transform many government processes into digitalized form.

Meanwhile, Go also stressed the need to establish by law the Rural Agricultural and Fisheries Development Financing System to support agricultural and fisheries sectors in the country, saying that food security is an integral element of the Philippines’ national security.

Go added that he will continue to enhance the irrigation of farmlands and expand the National Rice Program, Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund, and other programs for farmers and fisher-folks. He also emphasized the need to invest heavily in the establishment of regional and big provincial storage facilities to prevent wastage of farm produce.

He also stressed the need to promote agripreneurship. “Kailangan ang mindset nila ay hindi lang ang pagiging magsasaka at mangingisda. Turuan natin sila at iba pang kasapi ng kanilang pamilya sa pagnenegosyo,” said Go.

“Bigyan natin sila ng dignidad na hindi lang sila pangkaraniwang mga magsasaka at mangingisda. Gagawin din natin silang mga negosyante. We must give them free business, skills and technological trainings,” he added.

Go also emphasized the need to give more incentives to farmers’ children, such as better scholarship grants, to encourage them to continue farming.

The senator then emphasized the importance of education in the country’s economy. In line with this, the Duterte Administration, according to Go, has ensured greater access to quality education and training through the enactment of RA 10931 or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act.

He noted that an estimated 1.6 million poor Filipino students are now in school without paying for their tuition and miscellaneous fees because of the government’s Free Higher Education program.

The senator also cited the need to equip Filipinos with digital literacy, given the increasing use of the internet in the economy, and promote youth-entrepreneurship so that students’ business skills will be polished while they are still young.

In this regard, Go pointed out the need to provide students better and easier access to international quality education through the Transnational Higher Education Act or RA 11448.

“We must continue also to provide technical and vocational education and skills trainings, through TESDA-MALASAKIT, especially in the fields of tourism, agriculture and fisheries, electrical and electronic, construction and social community development,” added Go.

To conclude, Go reassured the business community that building on the achievements of the Duterte Administration will be the best approach to keep the country on course in the face of enormous difficulties.

“Hindi ko hahayaan na masayang lang ang lahat ng pagod at efforts ng Duterte Administration. Hinding-hindi natin sisirain ang legacy ni Pangulong Duterte,” said Go.

“Nakita niyo naman po sa loob ng limang taon, tahimik tayong nagtatrabaho. Hindi po tayo mahilig magpabida. Hintayin niyo na lang ang resulta. Let my track record speak for itself. I am an action man. Ang bisyo ko ay magserbisyo,” he ended.