Section 3May 6, 1997, Sec./Art. 3

Sec. 5 of Republic Act No. 6977 is hereby amended to read as follows:

"SEC. 5 Guiding Principles. - To set the pace for small and medium enterprise development, the State shall be guided by the following principles:

"(a) Minimal set of rules and simplification of procedures and requirements. - All government agencies having to do with small enterprises shall pursue stability of rules and to encourage entrepreneurial spirit among the citizenry. The agencies shall see to it that procedural rules and requirements, within their respective offices in coordination with other agencies, are minimized in the act of registration, availment of financing and accessing other government services and assistance.

"(b) Role of the private sector. - In order to hasten growth and expansion of small and medium enterprises, the private sector throughout the country shall be encouraged to assist in the effective implementation of this Act by participating in government programs for small and medium enterprises strictly in accordance with the law, and consistent with the attainment of the purposes hereof. To encourage private sector participation, the Council, in consultation with the concerned sector, may recommend simplified procedure and localized incentives to small enterprises. The Government shall encourage the organization and establishment of small and medium enterprise industry associations at the local and regional levels preferably unified under a national federation/association.

"(c) Coordination of government efforts. - Government efforts shall be coordinated to achieve coherence in objectives. All appropriate offices, particularly those under the Departments of Trade and Industry, Finance, Budget and Management, Agriculture, Agrarian Reform, Environment and Natural Resources, Labor and Employment, Transportation and Communication, Public Works and Highways, Science and Technology, Local Government and Tourism as well as the National Economic and Development Authority and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, through their national, regional and provincial offices, shall to the best of their effort and in coordination with local government units, provide the necessary support and assistance to small and medium enterprises.

"(d) Decentralization. - The State shall accelerate the decentralization process by establishing regional and provincial offices in order to enhance and attain greater efficiency in the provision of services to the countryside and the implementation of this Act, in coordination with local government units. To this end, the government agencies shall effect a substantial delegation of authority to their regional and provincial offices to make decisions, particularly in the registration of beneficiaries of this law, qualification for availment of benefits, accreditation of private voluntary organizations, industry associations and cooperatives, and to resolve complaints for violation of applicable laws."