Republic of the Philippines eae
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 7 ReCeiVED

Quezon City APR 19 20)7
SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session
House Bi No9450

Introduced by BAYAN MUNA Representative CARLOS ISAGANI T. ZARATE.

AN ACT
DESIGNATING THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER AS BUY PINOY, BUILD PINOY
MONTH TO ENCOURAGE THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS TO
PRIORITIZE THE PURCHASE AND UTILIZATION OF FILIPINO PRODUCTS,
LABOR AND SERVICES

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill seeks to give the fullest government recognition to Filipino producers, particularly
micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) by declaring the month of November of
every year as Buy Pinoy, Build Pinoy Month.

This measure recognizes the MSMEs major role in the country’s economic development with
their contributions to employment generation, increased incomes, a more equitable
distribution of wealth, and rural development.

Government should take stock and help bolster the MSMEs’ contribution to the economy. In
the last decade, the MSME sector accounted for 99.6 percent of the registered businesses that
employs 63 percent of the labor force living in the country. It is also important to note that
35.7 percent of the total sales and value-added in the manufacturing sector come from
MSMESs as well.

MSMEs include restaurants, supermarkets, salons, pharmacies, cooperative farms, upstart
technology companies, bakeries, graphic design firms, handicraft outfits, small distilleries,
agro-industrial ventures, food processing firms and various services in both the urban and
rural areas. The variety of MSMEs nationwide is broad and extensive; each owned and
operated by passionate, dedicated and often struggling entrepreneurs.

Filipino entrepreneurs are skilled in maximizing the use of scarce capital resources and are
able to partner with large firms by supplying locally available raw materials or semi-
processed goods. They find opportunities and take a lot of risks and sacrifices to make their
enterprises, employees and communities better. They are able to effectively increase the local
content or the value-added in final goods and services that are processed and marketed by
large firms.



Also, MSMEs can be the building blocks for large-scale economic advancement should they
be protected and assisted by government to grow and expand. They are making an important
contribution to current regional development programs that can be integrated for our
country’s drive to industrialization.

By declaring the month of November as Buy Pinoy, Build Pinoy month, it is the authors
intention to provide MSMEs and Filipino enterprises in general an opportunity to take center
stage in the consciousness of Filipino consumers. This is especially important given the
increased consumer spending that occurs during the Christmas season.

In view of the foregoing, passage of this bill is earnestly sought.

Approved,

rap OER BraLb lS

Bayan Muna Pdrty-List 7


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 5450

Introduced by BAYAN MUNA Representative CARLOS ISAGANI T. ZARATE

AN ACT
DESIGNATING THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER AS BUY PINOY, BUILD PINOY
MONTH TO ENCOURAGE THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS TO
PRIORITIZE THE PURCHASE AND UTILIZATION OF FILIPINO PRODUCTS,
LABOR AND SERVICES

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress

assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title — This Act shall be known as the “Buy Pinoy, Build Pinoy Month
Act.”

SECTION 2. State Policy. — In furtherance of the Constitutionally-mandated role of the State
to develop a self-reliant and independent national economy effectively controlled by Filipinos
(Article Il, Section 19); and to promote the preferential use of Filipino labor, domestic
materials and locally produced goods, and adopt measures that help make them competitive
(Article XII, Section 12), it is the policy of state to promote the growth and development of
Filipino entrepreneurs, especially those involved in micro, small and medium enterprises
(MSMES) as defined by Republic Act 6977 as amended by Republic Act 8289 or the Magna
Carta for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises.

SECTION 3. Declaration of Buy Pinoy, Build Pinoy Month, - The month of November of
every year is hereby declared as “Buy Pinoy, Build Pinoy Month in recognition of the
important role and contribution of the MSME sector to the Philippine economy and to
enhance the opportunities of these enterprises to grow and contribute more meaningfully to
job generation, national development and economic advancement.

SECTION 4. Observance of Buy Pinoy, Build Pinoy Month. -To ensure the meaningful
observance of Buy Pinoy, Build Pinoy Month as herein declared, all heads of government
offices and instrumentalities, including government-owned and controlled corporations, as
well as local government units, and employers in the private sector, shall encourage and
afford sufficient resources, time and opportunities for MSMEs to engage and participate in
any and all activities to mark the month.


a) The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) shall be the lead agency for the
implementation of this Act. The activities under this act shall be included in the annual work
program and action agenda of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development
Council.

b) Activities for the Buy Pinoy, Build Pinoy Month shall include MSME trade fairs, bazaars,
marketing missions, information dissemination activities, education and advocacy campaigns,
and similar events featuring Filipino products, manufactures, inventions, technologies and
resources and shall be conducted in all national government agencies as well as cities and
municipalities in the country.

) A National Trade Fair shall be held for at least two (2) weeks in Novermber of every year
with the participation limited to Filipino producers, service providers, and products,
Provided, That the said Fair shall be held simultaneously in locations in Luzon, Visayas and
Mindanao.

d) The Philippine Information Agency, in coordination with the DTI, shall formulate and
implement a nationwide information and advocacy campaign for the Buy Pinoy, Build Pinoy
Month activities.

) The private sector is encouraged to conduct similar initiatives as those enumerated in this
Act.

SECTION 5. Repealing Clause — All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules or regulations
and other issuances, or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act,
are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 6. Effectivity —This Act shall take effect fifteen days (15) days after publication
in the Official Gazette or in two (2) national newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,