Rizalie Anding Calibo
SIQUIJOR, June 9 (PIA) - - The Department of Trade and Industry
(DTI) and the Deutsche Gessellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) is
encouraging micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) to go green and
champion green agenda in their localities amidst environmental challenges the
country is facing.
“The production processes and business practices of MSMEs, which
make up 99 percent of Philippine companies, are often harmful to both the
environment and the climate,” notes the GIZ in its Promotion of green economic
development (ProGED) handouts.
GIZ in its handouts stated that the Philippines is witnessing
significant economic growth but poverty persists and the growth has negative
impacts on the environment and climate.
The country thus faces the challenge of steering its economic
development towards sustainable, inclusive growth which will also benefit
socially disadvantaged groups, it added.
Through its ProGED program, GIZ has worked closely with DTI
in the promotion of green economy starting with a series of value chain
workshop, orientations, Greening Tourism Enterprises and Business Matching, and
Learning Visits, among other activities.
A two-day learning visit was conducted last week in Bohol with
participants from the provinces of Regions 5, 6, 7 and 13 composing the
business, tourism and government sectors.
The visit encourages MSMEs and relevant institutions involved on
MSME development to respectively implement environment friendly and climate
smart practices in their operations and integrate these in their programs, says
GIZ’s Nanda Ristma of ProGED program.
Specifically, it provides opportunities for participants to
observe and experience existing environment friendly and climate smart
practices of the businesses and interact with and directly hear from the green
champions the inspiration, motivation, opportunities and challenges of going
green.
It also allows participants to interact with each other and share
each other’s experiences on going green that enhances their knowledge to
apply in their respective businesses and champion the green agenda in their
locations.
Among the green businesses and sites visited in Bohol on the first
day were the Bellevue Resort, South Palms Resort, Bohol Bee Farm, and Amarela
Resort in Panglao Island, and the Aproniana Gift Shop in Baclayon.
On the second day, the group went to the country’s first
Fabrication Laboratory located inside Bohol Island State University Main
Campus in Tagbilaran City, the Wiki House in Balilihan, Bohol, Maribojoc
Eco/Organic Farm and Solar Panel Water Pump in Maribojoc and in Dong Juan
Restaurant in Tagbilaran City.
The sites are known for its environment-friendly and climate smart
solutions such as energy reduction practices, waste segregation system and
recycling, production and use of organic agriculture, rain water collection and
water conservation and other tourism development practices that can be
replicated in the province of Siquijor.
ProGED project provides MSMEs with information about technologies
that facilitate environmentally friendly and climate smart activities and help
them to recognise their own potential.
Information is also provided on green financial products and
funding instruments that enable MSMEs to implement their own improvements.
Moreover, the project supports MSMEs that are especially
environmentally friendly and climate smart to participate in competitions.
The project began in 2013 in the two pilot provinces of Cebu and
Bohol.
Since mid-2014, the experiences gained to date have been shared in
a further seven provinces, in cooperation with the partner organisation, the
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). Another seven provinces were added this
year.
The work focuses on the tourism industry, which also involves the
transport, souvenir and food sectors.
Tourism is important for the Philippines due to its
growth potential and its close links with other upstream and downstream
economic sectors.
However, the high consumption of water and energy, the inadequate
solid waste and wastewater management systems and high greenhouse gas emissions
all play a part in exacerbating environmental pressures and reducing the
competitiveness of enterprises.
Government authorities and the private sector must recognise the
challenges, and learn more expertise to identify and implement solutions, the
GIZ said. (rmn/rac/PIA7-Siquijor)