Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No, _ 5573

Introduced by Rep. TEDDY A. CASINO.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

‘This bill secks to give the fullest government recognition to Filipino producets, 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. [a 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 MSMEs 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 fiems 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 strugpling entrepreneurs.

Filipino entreprencurs 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 cisks and sacrifices to make their entetptises, 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 goverament 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 author’s intention
to provide MSMEs and Filipina 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,

Teh One
TEDDY A. CASINO
Bayan Muna Party-list


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No. 5573 .

Introduced by Rep. TEDDY A. CASINO:

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 Pingy, Build Pinoy Month Act?”

SECTION 2. State Policy.— Io furtherance of the Constitutionally-tmandated role of the State to
develop a self-rchant and independent national economy effectively controlled by Filipinos (Article
I, Section 19); and to promote the preferential use of Filipino labor, domestic materials und I
produced goods, and adopt measures that help make them competitive (Article XI, Section 12), i 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 inportane role and
contribution of the MSME sector to the Philippine economy and to enhance the opportunities of

these enterprises to grow and concibute 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 wo
mark the month.


a) The Department of ‘I'nide and Industry (DTI) shall be the lead agency for the implementation of
thus Act The activities under this act shall be included in the annual work progtam and action
agenda of the Micto, 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
sball be conducted in all national government agencies as well as cities and municipalities in the
country

©) 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.

4d) The private sector is encouraged to conduct similar initiatives as those enumerated in this Act.
SECTION 5. Repealing Clause— All laws, decrees, exccutive orders, rules or regulations and
other issuances, or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, are hereby

tepeated or modified accordingly,

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

Approved,