The 14th PHILSME at SMX Convention Center in Manila was graced by key leaders of various industries offering varied business solutions to small and medium enterprises. Photo from PHILSME.
The 14th Philippine SME (PHILSME) Business Expo, organized by Mediacom Solutions Inc., concluded a successful two-day run at the SMX Convention Center Manila in Pasay City, Metro Manila, bringing together nearly 10,000 attendees, fostering a vibrant atmosphere of innovation, collaboration, and business growth for small and medium-sized enterprises.
The PHILSME Business Expo officially opened on May 10, 2024, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony hosted by Asia’s Best News Presenter Rico Hizon who rallied the crowd to appreciate SMEs which he pointed out were the backbone of the Philippine economy, providing livelihood to over 99% of employed Filipinos.
Hizon’s statement was echoed by speakers from the Department of Finance, Esquire Financing, PLDT Enterprise, Odoo, and AutoCount who extolled the value of SMEs which they hope to help grow into major companies.
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.
14th PHILSME Day highlights here:
“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.
14th PHILSME Exhibitors’ Night Highlights here:
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.
14th PHILSME Day 2 Highlights here:
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.
For more information about PHILSME and upcoming events, visit www.PhilSME.com and social media pages.
