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Sentral ng Pilipinas, through their national, regional and pro-
vincial offices shall, to the best of their efforts and in coordi-
nation with local government units, provide the necessary
support and assistance to MSMEs.
"x x x."
SEC. 6. A new section, numbered Section 6 is hereby inserted after
Section 5 of the same Act, to read as follows:
"SEC. 6. Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development
Plan (MSMEDP). -- The President shall approve a six-year micro,
small and medium enterprises development plan prepared by the
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) which shall form part of the
Medium Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP). It shall be
formulated in consultation with the private sector, validated and updated
semestrally. Such plan shall include a component on a micro credit
financing scheme."
SEC. 7. Section 6 of the same Act is hereby renumbered as Section
7 and further amended to read as follows:
"SEC. 7. Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development
(MSMED) Council. -- The existing Small and Medium Enterprise
Development Council, which was created by Republic Act No. 6977,
as amended by Republic Act No. 8289, shall be strengthened to
effectively spur the growth and development of MSMEs throughout
the country, and to carry out the policy declared in this Act and shall
now be known as the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise
Development (MSMED) Council. The Council shall be attached to the
Department of Trade and Industry and shall be constituted within sixty
(60) days after the approval of this Act."
"x x x."
SEC. 8. Section 7 of the same Act, as amended, is hereby
renumbered as Section 7-A and further amended to read as follows:
"SEC. 7-A. Composition. -- The Council shall be headed by
the Secretary of Trade and Industry as Chairman, and may elect
from among themselves a Vice-chairman to preside over the Council
meetings in the absence of the Chairman. The members shall be the
following:
"a) Secretary of Agriculture;