DTI signs MOU on $2.2 million ILO-Japan project supporting recovery of businesses

Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) signed a Japan-supported memorandum of understanding that was part of the $2.2 million Japan-ILO project called “Bringing Back Jobs Safely under the COVID-19 Crisis in the Philippines: Rebooting Small and Informal Businesses Safely and Digitally."

The project, launched in July 2021, seeks to support the recovery of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) from the impacts of the COVID-19 crisis.

Components of this support measure include capacity-building on occupational safety, health, and productivity measures, digital entrepreneurship, and financial education for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and informal businesses.

In the Philippines, the initiative will assist the government in its push to integrate MSMEs through digitalization.

The MOU signing was held on August 26, 2022.

Among the signatories were ILO Philippines Director Khalid Hassan, DTI Regional Operations Group Undersecretary Blesila A. Lantayona, and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Director General Danilo P. Cruz, Assistant Secretary Mary Jean T. Pacheco of the DTI Digital Philippines and Ecommerce Lead and Executive Director Nelly Nita N. Dillera of the Philippine Trade Training Center.

Embassy of Japan Minister Masahiro Nakata, who attended the signing ceremony, highlighted the project as a crucial contributor to achieving a robust and sustainable economic recovery for the Philippines from the COVID-19 global crisis.

Nakata added that with MSMEs comprising the majority of the businesses in the Philippines, the success of their operations would significantly help the restoration of the local labor market. — DVM, GMA News