PCCI, Philexport Push Pinas Muna!

Two of the country’s biggest business organizations – the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) and the Philippine Exporters Confederation (Philexport) – are joining the bandwagon PINAS MUNA!, an urgent call for economic patriotism aimed at helping revive or restart seriously ailing micro, small and medium enterprises.

“Philippine businesses, especially the MSMEs, have been badly hit by the lockdowns due to the pandemic. The least PCCI can do is rally the whole country to patronize their businesses, from products to services. Pinas Muna! can be the integrating campaign of many government and private sector programs aimed at encouraging our countrymen to avail of Filipino products and services such as Buy Lokal of the Department of Trade and Industry, Pasyal Na! for helping promote domestic tourism, Sarap Pinoy! for pushing local food products and a myriad of other campaigns,” Amb. Benedicto Yujuico, PCCI president said.

“Pinas Muna! is a time-bound campaign while the country is transitioning from a post-COVID-19 environment. As the country begins its recovery phase for the economy, Philippine enterprises need all the help they can get especially in propping up the market and the demand for their products,” Sergio Ortiz-Luis, Philexport president said. “Most of the country’s exporters are now looking at domestic markets for their products as the global markets remain depressed,” he added. We will not discriminate against imported goods, but in the short-term, we are left of little options but to patronize local goods and services,” the export industry leader said.

Yujuico said PCCI will enjoin industry associations, local chambers and other business groups to enlist in the campaign. “We would like Pinas Muna! to be constant in the mindset of all Filipinos as we help each other in these challenging times,” he stressed. “At the end of the day, Pinas Muna! can also be regarded as a job-saving strategy so MSME can restart their economic activities, Yujuico added.

PCCI and Philexport both have broad-based membership all over the country, an extensive national network representing mostly the MSMEs.