SMEs are Fireflies in a Vibrant Economy

They glow in the dark; small and numerous. Nowadays, they are often a fleeting and a rare occurrence in nature.

A beautiful sight to behold in the deep of the night, many small dots of flickering lights moving everywhere but nowhere, and yet synchronized to display their mating call to attract their opposite sex. These are fireflies when they are out to propagate their species, and attract partners to grow and continue their mundane natural existence.

But beyond the mating call is the meaning of their presence in a place.

Fireflies are an indicator; an index of a safe environment free from the toxic waste man has inflicted on Earth. It is a good assumption and a reliable marker that where there are fireflies, there are no poisons in the earth.

Where you see them, the environment is safe --- where life is free to grow and blossom. Where the fireflies are, is an environment where nature can develop to its full potential.

MSMEs are like fireflies.

They are small, but the good and healthy MSMEs will issue forth a glow that makes them attractive.

Like fireflies, many of them come and go. They exist fleetingly. But for those who are able to attract like minded MSMEs, they partner to collaborate, to engage in symbiotic relationship, to merge, to be one giving birth to a bigger and better enterprise.

Like fireflies, they are a sign of a safe and clean environment, a vibrant and healthy economic environment in this instance. The number of MSMEs in an economy is often indicative of growth or stagnation of an economic system. A high number and progressive growth of MSMEs is a sign of a healthy and business-friendly economic environment. while declining numbers of MSMEs is often a sign that an economy is in the brink of stagnation.

The seemingly inconsequential and insignificant existence of fireflies in the natural scheme of things in the environment is shared by MSMEs. Often thought of as irrelevant in an environment where bigness is a highly valued attribute in business, MSMEs by their sheer number, despite being small, have proven their economic contribution as they impact on the greatest number of people and sectors in the country, providing the most number of jobs and helping people survive in bad times.

This year, we celebrate the improving economic environment as the “fireflies” of the economy (MSMEs) have continually shown resiliency in the face of difficulty and have become the bearers of light, albeit small and flickering, during difficult times.

We feature the “fireflies” of the Philippine economic environment as we have shared in their development and their impact on the greatest number of people and lives in this country. On the following pages we take a look, and not help being inspired by their stories on how they have grown and done their share in growing the economy.

Unlike the real fireflies, we have discovered that MSMEs have an ability fireflies do not have.

The real fireflies will remain so in the natural scheme of things; MSMEs will turn into something else. --- big enterprises and institutions that will spread their wings to help fly our country’s economy to a future of prosperity.