By Liza Soriano
MANILA —Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa asked the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Maria Cristina Roque to establish a loan program for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) with no interest rate.
Dela Rosa said that it would help Filipinos in boosting their livelihoods instead of giving them financial assistance.
“Siguro kung ako ang maging secretary ng DTI, tutukan ko ‘yon. Maghanap ako ng programa na makatulong yung gano’ng paninda araw-araw kasi you can just imagine 5-6, uutang ka ng P5, at the end of the day bayaran mo ng P6,” the senator said during the confirmation hearing of Roque.
“Baka kayo, gagawa ka ng programa na ‘yan, pondohan natin dito sa Kongreso na makabigay ka kahit 5-5, walang interes, tapos mag-deploy ka ng mga nakamotor na mga tauhan mo, iikot doon sa mga palengke, magpapautang…para sa maliliit na negosyante, napakalaking bagay ‘yan kung walang interes,” he suggested.
Further, Dela Rosa said that such kind of government program would lessen the culture of mendicancy among Filipinos.
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