DTI invites Filipino MSMES to join Asean Online Sale from Aug 8 to 10

THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) invites Philippine micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMES) to join the largest online sale event in Southeast Asia, which aims to promote cross-border e-commerce among Asean countries.

Apart from aiming to promote cross-border e-commerce, the Asean Online Sale Day is a yearly event that aims to improve consumer trust in e-commerce, provide continuous sales opportunities for the participating businesses, particularly the MSMES during the Covid-19 pandemic, strengthen partnerships between stakeholders and businesses, and raise awareness on the Asean identity and solidarity.

In a news statement issued on Tuesday, the trade department noted “Asean e-commerce is anticipated to triple in size from $100 billion to $300 billion by 2025.”

E-commerce continues to grow despite the Covid-19 pandemic as more customers and companies opt to go online. Notably, Asean is home to over 600 million consumers that are increasingly adapting to e-commerce due to the pandemic.

Trade Secretary Alfredo E. Pascual, for his part, underscored that local MSMES’ participation in this regional event would be crucial in achieving sustainable economic recovery for the country.

“Philippine MSMES should take advantage of the opportunities from the rapid growth of e-commerce in Asean to market and sell their products through expanded channels, contribute in accelerating the country’s exports and achieving sustainable economic recovery and development,” he said.

Asean member-states, namely, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, will be joining the Philippines at the Asean Online Sale Day from August 8 to 10,2022. Reputable e-commerce platforms and businesses across the region will also participate.

Last year, participating MSMES offered consumer products and services such as food (fresh and processed), beverages, fashion items, woven goods, home furnishings, and tourism and travelrelated services.

Meanwhile, consumers in the Asean region can enjoy discounts and special offers on featured products by participating companies and online marketplaces in the Philippines and other Asean countries.

“The Asean Online Sale Day is an opportunity for consumers to experience e-commerce in an open, safe, and quality market under official supervision of governments, and at the same time, support production and business enterprises in the region to adapt and promote digital transformation through the already-developed ecosystem,” said DTI in a statement.

For more information about joining this year’s Asean Online Sale Day, you may visit the page at https://www.dti.gov.ph/aseansale/. Deadline of application for Philippine-based businesses, MSMES, or marketplaces selling goods or services online is until July 29,2022.

The web site listing of all participating merchants and platforms in AOSD 2022 can be accessed through