The 14th Philippine SME (PHILSME) Business Expo concluded a successful two-day run at the SMX Convention Center Manila in Pasay City, Metro Manila, bringing together 8,000 attendees, fostering a vibrant atmosphere of innovation, collaboration, and business growth for small and medium-sized enterprises.
The opening ceremony, hosted by distinguished broadcast journalist Rico Hizon, was also supported by Department of Finance (DOF) Undersecretary Domini S. Velasquez of the Office of the Chief Economist.
Through the Expo, small businesses and entrepreneurs are connected with industry experts, offered innovative solutions, and connected to business prospects. SMEs gain valuable insights, explore new opportunities, and, ultimately, push their businesses toward sustainable success.
“It’s not every day that you get to have more than 120 exhibitors and over 180 business solutions come together under one roof to showcase what they offer for SMEs,” PHILSME Managing Director Trixie Esguerra-Abrenilla said.
“Our overall objective is to help them come together, collaborate with each other, and have them showcase their business solutions.”
SMEs hold immense potential for supporting the Philippine economy as they drive employment, income, and overall development. They represent a significant portion of businesses in the country, accounting for 99.59%, based on the 2022 List of Establishments (LE) of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
However, challenges like limited resources, keeping up with the evolving market, and forging strategic partnerships can hinder their growth.
Esguerra-Abrenilla emphasized that the success of the Expo is a testament to the organization’s commitment to supporting the growth and development of SMEs in the country.
“We will continue to provide valuable resources, opportunities, and support to empower this important sector and foster the spirit of collaboration within the Philippine business landscape,” Esguerra-Abrenilla said.
Sharing solutions and building partnerships
Among the keynote speakers during the event were representatives from project management platform Odoo, which offered how to streamline and automate business operations; financing solutions Security Bank spoke about financing solutions that empower SMEs through financial inclusion; Toyota Financing addressed livelihood through accessible transportation modes; and creative platform Canva empowered attendees by teaching them how to use artificial intelligence (AI) in their creative projects.
These are among the 180 business solutions and opportunities presented by over 120 sponsors and exhibitors across diverse sectors, including finance, banking, advertising, healthcare, IT, logistics, franchising, and telecommunications, amongst many others.
Esguerra-Abrenilla said that these types of activities and the support given to SMEs go beyond the expo through the Philippine Business Network, a monthly gathering of Philippine business owners to get updated with new offers from different companies and an opportunity to interact with other industry service providers.
“Our commitment extends beyond the expo. We strive to continue supporting SMEs by helping them become aware of the latest business solutions, sharing exclusive offers they can take advantage of from various service providers, and providing them exclusive opportunities for the PHILSME Business Network,” Esguerra-Abrenilla said.
As PHILSME looks ahead to future engagements, the organization remains steadfast in its commitment to empowering SMEs, start-ups, and entrepreneurs through the next exhibit on November 22 and 23, 2024, the 15th edition of the SMX Convention Center Manila expo.