Tuesday, May 13, 2025

Half a million MSMEs affected by pandemic

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Close to half a million micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) closed down or stopped operations at the height of the lockdown, data from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) showed.

That is a little more than half of the total number of MSMEs registered with the DTI.

The data, culled from the agency’s regional offices in May. Updated data are not available but a June survey showed 30 percent of the sample taken by the DTI were still closed.

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The quarantine measures implemented beginning mid-March were a big challenge to companies. Restrictions have been eased in most areas by June 1.

The data showed the highest proportion of closures were registered in Region IV- B (Mimaropa), 88 percent or 20, 704; Region X (Northern Mindanao); 74 percent, 19,526; National Capital Region , 70 percent, 13,580; Region I (Ilocos Region), 70 percent, 15,363 and Region III (Central Luzon), 66 percent, 25,384.

These brought to 484,488 the number of MSM

Source: DTI
Source: DTI

Es that closed, or 56 percent of the 858,540 registered by the DTI.

Otheer centers of commerce also posted high proportion of closures: Region 7 (Central Visayas), 65 percent; Region 4-A (Calabarzon), 64 percent and Region VI (Western Visayas), Region V (Bicol) at 62 percent.

The data showed 30 percent of the registered MSMEs or 257,357 were in full operation and 13.6 percent or 116,695 had limited operations during the quarantine.

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