Marcos mulls state-owned mall limited to MSMEs, local products

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Tuesday said he is mulling the establishment of a state-owned mall that would be limited to small businesses with local products.

Interviewed by reporters in Indonesia, Marcos narrated his experience after Indonesian President Joko Widodo invited him to visit a mall there on Monday night.

"'Yun pala 'yung mall na pinakita sa amin gobyerno ang may-ari. At saka ‘yung produktong pinagbibili doon sa mall, lahat lokal, lahat MSMEs, lahat maliliit. Kapag masyadong lumaki, hindi na sila puwede doon sa mall. Ililipat sila doon sa regular na mall,” he said.

(The mall turned out to be government-owned. The products being sold there are all local products, all MSMEs, all small businesses. If the business grows too large, it no longer allowed there. It will be moved to a regular mall.)

"Sabi ko baka puwede natin gawin sa Pilipinas [I said maybe we can do this in the Philippines]," he added.

Marcos said he informed Jokowi of the One Town, One Product (OTOP) program of the Philippine government that aims to promote goods and products of Filipino towns, cities, and regions. The program also provides funding for small businesses.

Meanwhile, he said he also met with some of the biggest businessmen in Indonesia on Monday evening, all of whom were "very enthusiastic" to his invitation to do business in the Philippines

"Sabi ko come to  the Philippines. So they all committed naman. Many of them are actually involved in the Philippines. Sabi nila papalakihin nila ‘yung kanilang involvement. Gusto nila mag-expand," he said.

(I invited them to the Philippines. They all committed. Many of them are actually involved in the Philippines. They said they will increase their involvement. They want to expand.) —KBK, GMA News