As a way to help MSMEs, Solon wants more special classes

SF | As a way to help MSMEs, Solon wants more special classes | MANILA – Micro, small, and medium-sized businesses (MSMEs) are thought to be the backbone and driver of the Philippine economy. On Thursday, Senator Chiz Escudero said that a bill needs to be passed that will set up special classes to help these businesses.

A statement from Escudero, chair of the Committee on Higher, Technical and Vocational Education, said, “There is a lack of curriculum offerings specifically designed for incubating, managing, and growing MSMEs, one that draws from the experiences, both successes and failures, of local MSMEs.”

It’s the Philippine Entrepreneurs’ Academy Act, which he asked his peers to support. This bill aims to create entrepreneurship-related degree programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

It was said by Escudero that this will encourage people to start their own businesses and help new Filipino businesspeople improve their core skills.

According to SB 2442, the proposed academy must offer bachelor’s and master’s degrees, as well as short-term diploma or certificate programs, on entrepreneurship. These programs must cover business growth in agriculture, trade, technology, and manufacturing by example.

He explained that the bill meets a need that is essential to national economic development plans for bringing back industry, creating high-value chains, creating jobs, and businesses that pay taxes that are then given back to the people.

The following are parts of the Academy’s official duties:

(a) Help people get better at business-related skills;

b) Meet the needs of vocational and skilled students, as well as senior and graduate students;

c) Push the idea that being a business can help create jobs and keep the country’s economy growing;

As a result, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), and other relevant government agencies should make their informal business programs and short-term technical-vocational courses official and part of the school system.

e) Offer guidance, teaching, and outreach services;

f) Keep an eye on every business-related paper;

(g) Do study and training in science and policy as well; and

h) Take any other actions that its Board of Trustee may deem necessary.

When asked about this, Escudero said that the academy does not give the same degrees that some state universities and colleges (SUCs) already do.

Instead, it will hold specific classes in this field. In higher education, it fills a need for a specific type of education that can help a field grow, make money, and create jobs.

As the Philippine Entrepreneurs’ Academy Main school-Clark, the main school will be in the Clark Freeport and Special Economic Zone. The academy will have two campuses. Philippines Entrepreneurs’ Academy-Baguio City school will be the name of the second school that will be built in Baguio City.

By getting approval from the governing board, the suggested law would make it possible to build more campuses.

Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, meanwhile, said that only 64% of TESDA students in 2022 took tests for national licenses.

Along with that, he was upset that the goals for the number of Technical Vocational and Education Training (TVET) grads who were evaluated were going down. In 2023, the goal was 70%, but in 2024, it just reached 60%.

It’s important for graduates to get certifications in order to get jobs, as companies value them.

There are no rules about training for people who don’t take tests and get certificates. These courses include language training courses, creative web design courses, and other courses in information and communication technology (ICT).

As for competency evaluation tools, they are only available to those who have training rules. Although, there are no training rules in place for some programs, such as those that are enterprise-based or community-based.

For high school seniors who took the technical-vocational-livelihood (TVL) track, Gatchalian also wants them to be certified so that they can get jobs!

For the licensing of about 400,000 TVL students, he suggested that PHP1 billion be added to the budget for 2024. (via PNA)