Implementation of the Barangay Micro Business Enterprises (BMBE) Law: Impacts, Challenges, and Policy Recommendations
Jefferson R. Cruz | Rolando R. Calma | Luisito V. Correa Jr | Mario Alex S. Clarin | Ken Paul M. Espinosa
Discipline: business studies
Abstract:
This study aimed to examine the implementation of the Barangay Micro Business Enterprises (BMBE) Law and its impacts and chal-lenges as perceived by the business owners in the City of Malabon, Philippines, and proposed policy recommendations. The BMBE Law was enacted to promote the growth of microenterprises and stimu-late local economic development in underserved communities. A de-scriptive-quantitative research design was employed to assess the law's impact on income generation, local competitiveness, and pov-erty alleviation of various business sectors. The results indicated that respondents generally perceived a very high level of BMBE Law implementation. Statistical analysis revealed a significant difference in local competitiveness when businesses were grouped by years in operation, whereas no significant differences were observed in in-come generation and poverty alleviation. Early-stage enterprises, operating for less than five years, reported a higher perceived eco-nomic contribution in terms of local competitiveness compared with longer-established firms. The findings of this study under-scored the need for ongoing monitoring and support for microen-terprises to optimize the benefits of the BMBE Law. The study high-lighted the importance of tailored, sector-specific interventions that address the diverse experiences of microenterprises. Overall, the re-sults provided valuable insights for policymakers and stakeholders seeking to strengthen the implementation and effectiveness of the BMBE Law, thereby advancing sustainable economic growth in the City of Malabon, Philippines.
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