MSMEs may now own e-retail stores

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO---Micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) may now have their own e-retail stores where they can promote and sell their products.

This, as the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), through its One Town One Product (OTOP) Philippines program, recently inked a partnership with e-commerce platform Somago Online Shopping to onboard MSMEs and assist them in digitizing their systems.

DTI Assistant Secretary Leonila Baluyut disclosed that some 80 MSMEs called "OTOPreneurs," are actively selling their products on the e-commerce platform.

"The DTI will continue to strive to increase the number of participating MSMEs in the platform to provide more opportunities for business owners in the country. We can strengthen OTOP's digitalization by improving the e-marketing and digital campaigns with Somago so that more people will engage in the platform,” she said.

Somago said that through the application, MSMEs will have a broader platform to market and sell their products nationwide including hard-to-reach ar eas.

“Somago can provide more support to increase OTOP’s online popularity by leveling-up our marketing collaboration via social media. The initiative can also give the consumers a chance to conveniently patronize and buy items online anytime," said Somago Online Shopping Chief Executive Officer Tim Zhou.

With the collaboration, MSMEs will be upgraded, upskilled and upsized for a bigger and better way to market and sell their products across the country and even in the international marketplace.