Negros Occidental MSMEs get digitalization boost

BACOLOD. Globe myBusiness Marketing Head Celeste Porto (center) and Supply Chain Marketing Head Anne David (4th from left) with Bacolod City Administrator Atty. John Orola (4th from right), Department of Trade and Industry- Negros Occidental Chief Trade and Industry Development Specialist Rachel Nufable (3rd from right) and inspirational speaker Francis Kong (2nd from right) lead the opening of Globe myBusiness Academy at SM City Bacolod on Wednesday, January 30. (Erwin Nicavera)
BACOLOD. Globe myBusiness Marketing Head Celeste Porto (center) and Supply Chain Marketing Head Anne David (4th from left) with Bacolod City Administrator Atty. John Orola (4th from right), Department of Trade and Industry- Negros Occidental Chief Trade and Industry Development Specialist Rachel Nufable (3rd from right) and inspirational speaker Francis Kong (2nd from right) lead the opening of Globe myBusiness Academy at SM City Bacolod on Wednesday, January 30. (Erwin Nicavera)

MICRO, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Negros Occidental have gained boost through the digitalization initiative of a telecommunication company in the country.

About 300 local entrepreneurs and exhibitors participated the Globe Telecommunication’s myBusiness Academy at the Activity Center of SM City Bacolod on Wednesday, January 30.

Globe myBusiness Marketing Head Celeste Porto, who spoke at the opening rites, said MSMEs comprise 99.5 percent of the entire sector, only 0.5 percent accounts for big enterprises.

Porto said that according to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), MSMEs contribute 36 percent to the country’s economy.

“They are the driver of economic growth and development, and Globe myBusiness really recognizes that,” she said, adding that “we are here to provide you not just with products but also with services to help the MSMEs really embrace these digital technologies.”

Globe myBusiness is the MSME arm of the telecommunication firm working on helping enterprises to face the challenges of today’s digital world.

The Globe myBusiness Academy has been conducted in the country for two years now.

Its Supply Chain Marketing Head Anne David said MSMEs are the backbone and driver of the economy and they’re not yet equipped for digitalization.

“The best way to address this to educate them on the relevant technologies that they can use to grow and succeed,” David added.

Themed “Create the Future of Local Business,” the activity in Bacolod City is the first leg of Globe myBusiness Academy in the country particularly for supply chain sector including manufacturing, logistics, wholesale, and retail.

This is in partnership with Bacolod City Government, DTI-Negros Occidental, Philippine Retail Association, and Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Globe myBusiness also brought industry experts.

Other partners included DHL, Lazada, Manila Workshops, and Taxumo.

The one-day event provided existing and aspiring entrepreneurs the access to learning sessions, digital solutions experiential demonstrations, free business consultations, and exclusive offers “to help them stay on top of their game.”

Globe myBusiness Academy has invited eight enterprises in Bacolod City, four are endorsed by DTI-Negros Occidental, to highlight their products through demonstration and selling in support to the agency’s Go Lokal campaign.

It also brought Globe myBusiness ambassadors and industry experts like inspirational speaker Francis Kong, who talked about innovations for business growth and success.

Kong, at the sidelines of the activity, said that in terms of demographics, the Philippines is a very young country and the world now is populated mostly by Generation Z.

“So if MSMEs do not embrace the digital format, they will have problems with their children not wanting to be part of their business because they are in the digital generation,” he added.

Other speakers are Manila Subject Matter Expert Eugene Arboleda who talked about on How to Build a Website; AdSpart Associate Director Joey Flores on Digital Marketing: New Ways to Market; Carmen’s Best owner Francisco Magsaysay on Success Story; Lazada vice president and head of seller engagement Alvin Ching on The End-to-End eCommerce Experience; and DHL Business Development Executive Jeffrey Francisco on Fundamentals of Logistics and Cross-Border Trade.

“Negrense MSMEs have to adapt to the time,” Magsaysay said, adding that aside from venturing a business of their interests, local enterprises should not be hindered by age to learn new technologies.

For DTI-Negros Occidental, Chief Trade and Industry Development Specialist Rachel Nufable said they understand that this is now the era of connectivity.

“So our MSMEs should really be connected with other parts of the whole supply chain,” Nufable said, adding that the agency welcomes the support of private companies, like Globe, to enable entrepreneurs to be “in” as far as the digital platform is concerned.

City Administrator Atty. John Orola, representing Mayor Evelio Leonardia, meanwhile, lauded the effort of the company as this strengthens MSMEs in the city.

“Through this, we can build a strong middle class that will pull up the lower class while not pulling down those in the upper class,” he noted.

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