Pasay City, Philippines—The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Fred Pascual called on micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to embrace digital transformation to expand and be globally competitive.

In his speech at the 2024 National MSME Summit in Pasay City, Secretary Pascual said the DTI will provide support and the tools necessary to enhance their competitiveness and eventually scale up.

“At the DTI, we translate the theme “Innovate to Elevate” into action for MSMEs. Through our mission of Angat Negosyo, we are integrating digital technologies to propel MSMEs to new heights of competitiveness and scalability. Imagine reducing costs, boosting productivity, and reaching new markets. That’s the power of digitalization. We are doing much to transform digitally our MSMEs and put the digital technologies in your hands, my dear MSMEs,” Secretary Pascual said.

At present, the DTI has onboarded 300,321 MSMEs nationwide in e-commerce from January 2023 to March 2024. These onboarding efforts include training in social media platforms such as Instagram, Viber, and TikTok marketplaces, to e-marketplaces such as Shopee, Amazon, and Lazada, among others.

The summit, themed “Innovate to Elevate: Empowering MSMEs for Sustainable Growth,” is an annual convention of entrepreneurs, tech startups, academe, and business experts to share their knowledge and insights on the immense opportunities and challenges in today’s rapidly evolving landscape. It also highlighted the winners of the 2024 Presidential Awards for Outstanding MSMEs and Presidential Recognition for Outstanding Development Partners held at Malacañan Palace on 10 July 2024.

The finalists of the Presidential Awards for Outstanding MSMEs are Island Group Winners from Northern Luzon (HeySuccess Virtual Assistance Services), Southern Luzon (Ai-She Footwear, Tropical Palm Herb Manufacturing), Visayas (Jojie’s Bakeshop, Kawayan Collective Agricultural Cooperative) and Mindanao (Nelly Coffee and Tablea, Malagos Agri-Ventures Corporation).

The Presidential Recognition for Outstanding Development Partners was granted to institutions with remarkable programs and services to MSMEs. Recipients included the City Government of Biñan for the impact of BMBE (Barangay Micro Business Enterprises) incentives to boost business activity, and Capiz State University CAPSULE Technology Business Incubator that facilitated technology transfer and prototype commercialization support to MSMEs.

Further, Secretary Pascual emphasized the DTI’s dedication to fostering a culture of innovation through various programs and initiatives. He also unveiled the new One Town, One Product (OTOP) logo, featuring a vibrant and colorful design that mirrors the rich culture and dynamic economy of the Philippines.

This marks the establishment of the OTOP Retail and Learning Center, a dynamic hub offering mentoring and educational sessions alongside its retail offerings. It also heralds the premiere of DTI-Bagong Pilipinas Marketplace, the largest B2B e-commerce platform dedicated to showcasing products and services from Filipino MSMEs.

“Through our OTOP Program, we support MSMEs in developing unique local products and services that reflect the culture and resources of their respective localities. As part of our vision under Bagong Pilipinas, we have significantly broadened the scope and concept of OTOP Philippines. It now encompasses all locally produced offerings across our country’s 16 regions,” Secretary Pascual added.

To accelerate the digital transformation of MSMEs, the DTI has been rolling out programs such as the AI Strategy Roadmap 2.0 and the establishment of the Center for AI Research (CAIR), and the Tindahan mo e-Level Up Mo program.

These initiatives aim to equip MSMEs with advanced tools and knowledge to innovate and stay competitive. The roadmap promotes the adoption of cutting-edge technological advancements, including Generative AI. Meanwhile, CAIR aims to position the Philippines as a leader in multiple AI application areas by fostering technological innovation and encouraging multidisciplinary and cross-disciplinary research.

Secretary Pascual also noted the importance of collaboration with private sector partners. He mentioned partnerships with industry giants like Jollibee, SM Prime Holdings, Inc., TikTok, and Toyota Motor Philippines Corporation, which will provide MSMEs with more platforms and opportunities to showcase their products and enhance their operations through innovative solutions.

“We strongly believe that innovation paves the way for elevating MSMEs. Our digitalization initiatives go beyond streamlining operations. Our digitalization initiatives go beyond streamlining operations. They propel our MSMEs to new heights of competitiveness and sustainability,” Pascual concluded. ♦

Date of release: 13 July 2024

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