Pasay City, Philippines — The 17th Philippine SME Business Expo and Conference (PHILSME) Entrepreneur and Franchise Edition successfully gathered 10,000 visitors on November 28–29 at the World Trade Center Metro Manila, creating a powerful bridge between SMEs and 180 brands offering tools, technologies, franchise models, and growth solutions.
PHILSME CEO and Managing Director Trixie Esguerra-Abrenilla emphasized the expo’s core mission, stating:
“PHILSME is built for SMEs—to help them find solutions, partners, and opportunities that move them forward. The quality of engagement at the 17th edition reflects how intentional entrepreneurs have become in choosing the right tools for growth.”
DTI Assistant Secretary Grace Baluyan delivered the keynote address and reinforced the significance of the enterprise sector:
“MSMEs constitute nearly all business establishments in the country, with over 99% of registered enterprises belonging to the micro, small, and medium-enterprise category.”
Learning Sessions Empower Entrepreneurs
A strong lineup of business mentors and industry practitioners led high-value learning sessions, including Francis Kong, Dean Pax Lapid, Jonathan Yabut, Myrna “Mommy Negosyo” Natividad, Reymond “Boss RDR” Delos Reyes, Kimberly “Kimilu” Lu, and Kween Yasmin.
Corporate leaders also contributed critical insights.
Toyota Motor Philippines Vice President for Sales Distribution Department – Marketing Division, Norman Cloyd B. Sebastian, discussed mobility solutions for SMEs and operational scaling.
Joseph Jerome Francia, First Vice President and Head of Operations, GMA International, led the GMA Pinoy TV panel “From Overseas to Own Business: Empowering OFWs to Become Entrepreneurs,” highlighting practical steps for transitioning from overseas employment to business ownership.
Community Events Strengthen PHILSME Network
Two key PHILSME community activities took place:
• The PHILSME Business Network New Members Awarding Ceremony
• A focused Networking Night attended by network members, exhibitors, and sponsors
These gatherings deepened connections, encouraged collaborations, and reinforced the growing PHILSME community.
Exhibitors Report Exceptional Engagement Quality
Exhibitors noted that the 17th PHILSME delivered one of the strongest engagement outcomes to date. SME visitors demonstrated a high level of preparedness, taking time to assess solution fit, explore implementation steps, and open early-stage partnership discussions. Many exhibitors described this edition as marked by “deep, intentional engagement” and serious investment interest across sectors.
The expo was supported by 19 sponsors, led by Toyota Motor Philippines as Diamond Sponsor, and Platinum Sponsors GCash for Business, Taho Story, USA Poultry & Egg Export Council, Benchmark, and Canva.
A total of 45 media partners amplified PHILSME’s message from the initial announcement in August through the mid-November media launch, the expo dates, and even in the post-event period, significantly expanding the reach and visibility of the 17th edition.
Momentum Builds for the 18th PHILSME in May 2026
Driven by the success of the 17th edition, many exhibitors have already begun securing their space for the 18th PHILSME, happening on May 22–23, 2026 at the SMX Convention Center, Pasay City.Businesses aiming to connect with thousands of SME decision-makers can reserve their exhibition space at philsme.com/exhibit.
To explore partnership and sponsorship opportunities, visit philsme.com.
