Help restore economy through digital for MSMEs, Goking says

FOR the city’s COVID-19 response centered on pushing the economy forward, City Council’s committee on Trade and Commerce chair Councilor George Goking urged to utilize digital schemes to empower workers and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

Goking even said amid pandemic, internet service is a necessity and yet it isn’t regulated and utilized by the government as a utility the way services like water and electricity are.

Earlier, Goking said the Elon Musk Company StarLink will be going to enter into the telecom market in the country.

He said that the company will be deploying a low orbital satellite, hence, broadband signal (internet) can be experienced anywhere in the Philippines.

Goking, also the City Council’s committee on Ways and Means chair said Tech companies and the LGU must act together to support small & medium businesses during COVID.

“We have to be ready to support them in a post-COVID world,” said Goking.

He even said, MSMEs are now crucial and need to be recovered.

“Small businesses will need more support and one them is digital technologies to be initiated by the government,” said Goking.

He said solutions are emerging, like online advertising that can be used by small businesses that will bring online customers to existing business or new digital offerings, which is vital in the coming years.

According to Goking technology has been deployed throughout the pandemic to keep economies going and to keep people connected, healthy and safe.

He said the existing focus of the tech response now has been directed toward governments.

But as the world settles into a “new normal,” Goking said policymakers’ attention must include how tech companies can support small and medium business, especially as businesses will struggle to survive.

“Despite their size, small and medium businesses, still, constitute a significant portion of the city’s economy in terms of jobs,” Goking explained.

These small and medium businesses have less robust business contingency plans kicking in during the health crisis.

“We must save MSMEs to save jobs and revive the economy,” Goking said, adding that must generate income that brings back demand, demand that attracts more production and service activities through free internet access, the way to strengthen the economy. (Ben Balce)