Tag: MSME

Manila, Philippines – E-commerce platform Shopee is set to launch #TatakPinoy (Filipino branded) Virtual Trade Fair, a virtual fair aiming to promote Filipino brands and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). 

The three-day event which is slated for February 19- 21, is in partnership with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and sets the stage for shoppers to discover and purchase local delicacies and pasalubong items from Regions XII and IV-A. They can also anticipate products from Filipina-owned businesses, as Shopee and United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) team up to empower local female entrepreneurs.

Amid the lockdown, Shopee helped physical businesses to transition to digital through its Seller Masterclasses and has previously partnered with DTI, USAID, and local government units in the country for initiatives that helped Filipino entrepreneurs gain a basic understanding of e-commerce and digital marketing. 

DTI’s Bureau of Domestic Trade Promotion said in a statement, “The Department of Trade and Industry – Bureau of Domestic Trade Promotion is proud to be a partner for #TatakPinoy on Shopee. This initiative will connect thousands of consumers to more than a hundred MSMEs on one platform. We invite Filipinos from all over the country to patronize and take pride in products that are certified #TatakPinoy from the National Trade Fair Pop-up Store and Go Lokal! Shopee Mall.”

Meanwhile, Martin Yu, Shopee Philippines’ director, commented, “Local brands from microbusinesses to SMEs can all contribute to the Philippine economy’s growth. Considering that most local businesses still can’t promote their products outside of online platforms due to the pandemic, Shopee also wants to create the opportunity to showcase the best Filipino brands.”

During the event, exclusive discounts of up to 10% off on supporting Filipino brands such as Colourette, Vice Cosmetics, and Human Nature will be offered to shoppers.

Manila, Philippines – The National Association of Data Protection Officers of the Philippines, or NADPOP, an organization in the country for data privacy and protection, has announced a training and certification program for Filipino micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) on data privacy and protection fundamentals to help them manage the privacy of their customers online and offline.

The program, which equates to ₱3.8M in total value, is specifically targeted to members of BounceBack PH (BBPH), a movement that started on Facebook and was created during the onset of the pandemic to help entrepreneurs, front-liners, and disadvantaged communities in their recovery from the crisis. Currently, it has more than 70,000 members with industry verticals communities and regional and city-based groups.

NADPOP, which is a non-profit organization that serves and protects Data Protection Officers (DPO) in the Philippines, will work together with BBPH to identify a total of 100 recipients of the program and will make the announcement in the coming weeks. Each of the scholarships is worth at least ₱38,000 based on commercial rates. 

NADPOP together with BBPH partner, Bluepoint Foundation, a non-profit open-source education & development center, will be providing the eLearning infrastructure for the program.

According to Sam Jacoba, NADPOP’s founding president, most MSMEs have less than five full-time employees, making the training program a top necessity for businesses’ online transformation journey.

“The shift of businesses online has exponentially increased the reach of MSMEs which brought a lot of opportunities, but at the same time, this increased the risk of their customer databases being breached by hackers,” said Jacoba. 

NADPOP will be conducting four classes with 25 participants each. Primarily, the scholarships will be given to active members of BBPH and its communities. Those that are deemed qualified for the program are those that have an ongoing business, are currently financially-challenged, are diligent with their business requirements, and are ultimately those that are seen to implement what they will learn from the course. 

Once participants have finished the course, they will have to take a certification exam, and once passed, will gain a Data Privacy Specialist certification valid for two years.

“We welcome this generous support to our MSME members from NADPOP as now more than ever, protecting the personal information of customers should be top of mind of all entrepreneurs going online,” commented Jason Dela Rosa, founder of BBPH. 

“We also welcome the scholarships that NADPOP is going to provide to our members who will not be able to afford the training especially during this time of the pandemic. We thank NADPOP for responding to the call of the Digital Bayanihan Initiative of BBPH, which aims to help our members be better than ever and shine through the pandemic,” added Dela Rosa. 

BBPH members who won’t be selected for the 100 scholarship grants can still avail of NADPOP’s Data Privacy training and certification program which will be afforded on a competitive rate exclusive to active members of the community. All participants of the program will then be part of a ‘Community of Practice’ of data privacy and protection practitioners, whom they can consult with as they continue with their online transformation efforts. 

Manila, Philippines – Digital payment company Visa has announced the launch of their newest accelerator program for APAC start-ups in expanding their business reach to a global level.

The new “Visa Accelerator Program” will focus on making selected start-ups be connected with bank and merchant partners of Visa globally through commercial opportunity collaborations. Furthermore, the accelerator program is designed for start-ups that have built a consumer base in their home country, and are ready to enter new geographical and consumer regions.

“In Visa’s ongoing work with the startup community, we often see companies face challenges when taking their business from a local success story to becoming a player in multiple markets. There is a vibrant fintech ecosystem in the Philippines. At Visa, we have global expertise that can help startups take their expansion plans off the white board and into the real world. We encourage Philippine startups who want to partner with us to join this program so we can help them scale,” said Dan Wolbert, Visa country manager for the Philippines & Guam.

Areas of interest that Visa wants the participating start-ups to address are as follows:

  • Expand access to the digital economy to consumers and businesses that are underserved or cash-dependent
  • Support of small businesses as they struggle with changing technology demands and the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic
  • Leveraging the growing open data environment in the region to develop more personalized banking and shopping experiences
  • Developing new ways of moving money that aren’t dependent on traditional credit and debit cards

“There is no shortage of fantastic solutions coming out of the Asia Pacific, particularly the Philippine startup community. What’s most important to Visa is how we can support those solutions getting elevated to a stage where in a few months’ time they could be pitched as a commercial deal to a leading bank, retailer or technology company in the region. A big differentiator for the Visa Accelerator Program is our concentration on a small number of startups that are truly ready to unlock that next level,” Wolbert added.

Singapore – As a complementary part of the tourism board’s ongoing “SingapoRediscovers” campaign, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) launched the “Made With Passion” campaign that puts focus on local lifestyle products in the country.

The campaign, made possible in partnership with the Singapore Brand Office and support from Enterprise Singapore, will feature local products from these categories: beauty & wellness, fashion & accessories, homeware & décor, and packaged food and beverage (F&B).

Initial stages of the marketing campaign will include a new brand mark for the partner local brands, whether in product packaging, in-store, and online. This then ensures brands show a strong connection with the Singaporean local community.

“Passion is at the heart of our Singapore story. We are also home to a host of innovative and iconic brands that have been created with passion.  By sharing the stories behind both established and up-coming brands, we hope that more people will be able to rediscover well-loved brands and be wowed by the myriad of brands that speak of our passion and creativity,” stated Lynette Pang, advisor to the Singapore Brand Office and assistant chief executive (Marketing Group) of STB. 

Local trade association support will also be also seen within this initiative, with support coming from the Association for Small Medium Enterprises (ASME), Restaurant Association of Singapore, Singapore Food Manufacturers’ Association, Singapore Furniture Industries Council, Singapore Retailers Association, and Textile and Fashion Federation.

“The Made With Passion initiative is most timely. ASME is very pleased to support this initiative as we recognise that it takes great passion and commitment to build, nurture and grow a brand. The launch of Made With Passion also reflects a maturing of our market in appreciating homegrown brands.  We can be proud of local brands and help them flourish,” said Chew Lee Ching, vice-president for awards and special projects at the (ASME).

Dilys Boey, assistant chief executive officer at enterprise Singapore commented, “The Made With Passion initiative is a gateway for Singaporeans to discover more of our local brands. With greater awareness and interest, Made With Passion will be able to amplify positive brand attributes of our Singapore brands across the wider lifestyle sector. We hope that Made With Passion will elevate Singapore brands collectively and help them achieve greater success.”

The campaign will be amplified online via the campaign’s upcoming website and social media pages.

Manila, Philippines – The country’s Department of Trade and Industry has rolled out its new Christmas-themed web series on YouTube titled “PASA-LOVE” to highlight various local and regional products in the country.

The web series, which translates to “Share The Love,”is the department’s answer to promote the “Buy Local” campaign, especially as Filipino entrepreneurs are hugely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The “Buy Local” campaign aims to help these entrepreneurs stay afloat by patronizing their products.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Xg0dF_4RRo&t=90s

“A lot of our countrymen have lost their jobs and their businesses due to the pandemic. Thus, this is the perfect time to let them feel the real spirit of Christmas. Through simple patronization of locally-made products, we can share our love for the country, and show the real definition of unity. Buy local, give local this Christmas,” said Blesila A. Lantayona, DTI’s regional operations group undersecretary.

The “PASA-LOVE” web series premiered last November 3 and has currently released its fourth episode, where the department has already promoted food products from the Cordillera region, locally-made shoes, and sandals from Marikina City, and heritage crafts from the Western Visayas region. More episodes are set to be released on its YouTube channel. 

Philippines – To fully tap on the exporting potential of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the Philippines, local export startup 1Export is offering their services to leverage e-commerce capabilities of MSME to an international market.

Established in 2016, the startup offers its services by aiding enterprises in finding the right buyers online and what products will be deemed export-quality. This is then delivered across nine key international markets, of which businesses will take note of any compliance standards these key markets hold.

With the services being offered, the startup further extends its service by providing an eCommerce platform for MSMEs. From correct documentation to automated labeling using pictures, all are part of the startup’s goals of export efficiency for MSMEs.

“Exporting is often viewed as a tedious and laborious process. For most MSMEs, creating a truly globally competitive brand remains just a pipe dream. We believe that, when done right, exporting can be a powerful tool to showcase MSME talent, uplift the economy, and change the lives of people,” Daniel Remo, chief operating officer of 1Export stated.

CEO Mel Nava also commented, “We make them globally competitive so that they can export, we help them export so they can sell more, stay afloat, and serve the needs and wants of other markets.”

Manila, Philippines – To ensure local reach of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) in the Philippines, the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines recently partnered up with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in launching ‘IPOPHL Mobiliz’, the office’s foray into mobile application reach.

Said application allows MSMEs to process intellectual property (IP) documents and requirements for IPOPHL within the app, as recent policy has mandated for all MSMEs to conduct their current IP filings online to ensure safety of stakeholders and its employees.

“Given that many of us spend most of our time on mobile, this development will help IPOPHL reach out to a wider audience and provide a convenient and faster way for securing intellectual property assets and further integrate IP in innovative, creative and entrepreneurial processes,” said IPOPHL director General Rowel S. Barba.

With the launch of the IPOPHL Mobiliz, the office has sought a partnership with DTI through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to further promote IPs amongst the local MSME scene.

“IPOPHL’s efforts in digitalization will make government transactions more accessible and more convenient for all Filipinos. This will be a great gift to the Filipino people, aligned with the vision of the President to make lives more comfortable for our fellow Filipinos,” Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) secretary Ramon M. Lopez stated.