QC allots P700M to help MSEs

THE Quezon City government has approved P700 million in wage subsidies for workers of micro and small enterprises (MSEs) for the next three months to allow business owners and operators to recover amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The Quezon City council came up with the Sustainable Recovery Plan initiated by Councilor Franz Pumaren that serves as a guideline for the local government unit (LGU) and businesses to bounce back from the negative impact of the community quarantine.

Mayor Josefina Belmonte said the budget allocation would specifically be set aside for the Kalingang QC Para sa Negosyo Program of the QC Small Business and Cooperatives Development and Promotions Office (SBCDPO) and Local Economic Investment Promotions Office (LEIPO).

“This program aims to help our micro and small entrepreneurs meet ongoing business costs by providing wage subsidies that can help keep their employees and business operations until they get back on their feet. The QC LGU will cover 50 percent minimum wage for the next three months,” she told The Manila Times.

According to SBCDPO head Mona Celine Yap, eligible micro and small businesses will receive wage subsidies from July to September. She said the city government would allocate P200 million for the microenterprises and P500 million for small businesses.

“Interested enterprises can start applying for the wage subsidy from July 6 to 20, 2020. No application shall be accepted after the application period,” added Yap.

“By subsidizing the workers’ wages for the next three months, maybe this would help them (owners/operators) keep their employees so that they spend their earned money into other expenses like raw materials, ingredients, etc., and they don’t need to worry about letting people go,” she told The Manila Times.

Quezon City-registered micro-enterprises with less than nine employees and/or with an asset size or capitalization of up to P3 million, such as, but not limited to, sari-sari stores, canteens, laundry shops, computer shops, printing shops, among others, may avail of the program.

“Micro enterprises that are forced to suspend or reduce business operations, experienced revenue decrease or loss, those currently operating or plan to re-open by July 2020 can also apply,” Yap said.

Active employees of qualified micro business enterprises, whether regular, probationary, regular seasonal, project-based or fixed-term are eligible under the program.

Small businesses registered in the city that have 10 to 99 employees and/or with an asset of more than P3 million up to P15 million can apply. Guidelines and conditions for qualified small businesses will be released soon and interested enterprises may apply through the QC E-Service Portal.

After validating all submitted information, qualified SMEs would be notified for the wage subsidy, LEIPO action officer Perry Dominguez said.

Through this program, small entrepreneurs would no longer need to let go of their employees, Dominguez said.

“If other countries are doing this, we are also doing the same in Quezon City,” the QC officials noted.