Go Negosyo airs support for DTI chief after second CA bypass

Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Sec. Alfredo Pascual —Senate PRIB

Days after his confirmation was bypassed for the second time by the Commission on Appointments, Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual found vocal supporters in the Go Negosyo entrepreneurship movement and its founder, businessman Joey Concepcion.

In a statement on Thursday, the group said Pascual had been supportive of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the country, as well as public-private sector partnerships and job-generating investments.

According to Concepcion, Pascual enjoys the confidence of industry groups and conglomerates, and that this had been shown during past consultations where he took part as head of the Jobs group of the Private Sector Advisory Council.

“The confidence is there that Secretary Pascual can lead the public-private partnership as we scale up our MSMEs, promote the country as open for business here and abroad, and address the need to upskill our workforce to create quality jobs,” he said, adding:

“MSMEs account for more than 62 percent of jobs in the country. Helping Filipino MSMEs is a task we can’t do alone. We have always been strengthened by our solid partnership with the DTI (Department of Trade and Industry) and its leadership,” he said.

In the first meeting of the MSME Development Council, Concepcion recalled, Pascual, as the council’s chairperson, was able to engage and encourage every member to better participate and be more effective in resolving the issues at hand.

Part of mentoring

“The DTI was key to our Kapatid Mentor Micro Enterprises (KMME) Program,” he said.

The program, which is conducted by Go Negosyo alongside DTI and its regional units, has formally mentored more than 12,000 SMSEs nationwide so far. “I can’t emphasize enough the importance of the mentors who give of their time and expertise to the KMME and our mentoring roadshow, 3M on Wheels, and Secretary Fred Pascual has been part of these mentorings in various capacities over the years,” Concepcion said.

Along with Social Welfare Secretary Erwin Tulfo, Pascual again failed to secure a confirmation from members of the Commission on Appointments (CA) in the hearing on Dec. 14, the last to be held by the powerful bicameral body before Congress went on a monthlong Christmas break.

Two CA members had been critical of Pascual, one of them openly accusing him of lying, for saying he was unaware of the complaints hounding Tereso Panga, the officer in charge of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority, an attached agency of the DTI.

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