Senator Cynthia Villar on Sunday expressed her support to “Buy Local” and “Buyanihan” initiatives that would help Filipino entrepreneurs recover amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Villar said the saying “tangkilikin ang sariling atin” rings a different tune nowadays with the call to support local products becoming more urgent in the face of economic losses.
“Our micro, small and medium entrepreneurs (MSMEs) suffered because of the pandemic,” said Villar who chairs the Senate committees on agriculture, food, and agrarian reform.
“It is high time we give premium to the mantra ‘tangkilin ang sariling atin’ and really make it a point to buy Filipino products,” she added.
Villar pointed out there is a need to inculcate in each Filipino the wisdom of supporting own Filipino made products, and in the process, give due recognition to Filipino producers whose creativity and ingenuity have produced products and services that can be considered world-class.
The senator also noted that there is now a growing demand for local products especially on social media and online selling sites.
“We have been pushing for a concerted effort on the part of the government and stakeholoders to bring the benefit of this practice to the consciousness of the consuming public,” she said.
“One of the positive things this pandemic brought us is the opportunity to put our very own Filipino products on center stage,” she further said.
Villar also commended MSMEs who have learned to cope with the operational stress brought about by the pandemic, saying online selling enabled local sellers to reach consumers at a time when quarantine measures are in place. (Hannah Torregoza)
