In line with the Buy Local advocacy of Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) – Region 2 jumpstarted by Regional Director (RD) Leah Pulido Ocampo in 2019, the Regional Development Council II (RDC II) passed resolution no. 2-3 s. 2021 which supports the campaign. Said resolution enjoins all local government units (LGUs), regional line agencies, and state universities & colleges to adopt the salient features of the campaign especially the 10% set aside scheme.

The resolution was approved during the 119th RDC II full council meeting on 22 July 2021, after the presentation made by RD Leah Pulido Ocampo and Michael Paggabao, Assistant Division Chief of DTI SME Development Division and Buy Local Focal Person.

DTI-R2’s Buy Local advocacy has institutionalized prioritization of local micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) products and services in government procurement by making it a mandatory policy to set aside at least 10% of the total procurement value of government agencies and LGUs for the purchase of local products.

This was anchored with Section 4 of Republic Act 9501 known as the Magna Carta for MSMEs which among others provide that eligible MSMEs should be entitled to a substantial share of 10% from the resources of the government.

To date, 68 out of the 98 provincial, municipal and city LGUs in the region have passed their respective Buy Local ordinances.

With RDC’s seal of approval, DTI-R2 is confident that it will meet its target of 100% adoption of the Buy Local campaign in all the LGUs and government agencies in Region 2. ♦

Date of Release: 18 August 2021