Davao City – The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) 11 has lined up several activities to equip the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the region in expanding and improving their business further.
With the need to go into online marketing and virtual operation, the agency has looked for ways to assist its clients to keep up with the changing and challenging times.
To help MSMEs go digital, initiatives related to increasing online visibility have been launched and considered. Recently, it has conducted several activities in partnership with various companies that offer virtual platforms, such as the Philippine Long Distance Company (PLDT) KaAsenso Ka, Shoppee and Lazada. With them, DTI has been able to hold onboarding undertakings crucial to preparing local entrepreneurs in widening their market reach. These are part of its package of interventions for the OTOPreneurs, or the entrepreneurs enrolled under the One Town One Product (OTOP) Next Gen program.
DTI 11 Regional Director Maria Belenda Q. Ambi shared that the goal of DTI in intensifying its efforts to assist MSMEs is for them to improve their sales especially in these trying times.
“Being tagged as ‘next gen,’ it is definitely important that we guide our OTOPreneurs when doing business in the new era or the age of industrial revolution. DTI is here to help them identify and embrace the most appropriate innovations they need,” she said.
Ambi continued by saying that with the limited movement of people these days because of quarantine and other restrictions, most people are into online shopping. By just opening an app and tapping on their desired products, they can go shopping at the convenience of their own homes.
“This is a huge market, and we want our MSMEs to take advantage of this opportunity,” she said, adding that the least DTI wants to happen is to see their clients closing shops.
“We want to help them sustain their business by keeping up with the current trend,” the trade official emphasized.
These digital platforms support MSMEs as they go online and make their presence known in the different digital platforms. Through the Market Seller Onboarding Support, sellers are assisted in setting up their online shops and start selling online thereafter. Likewise, they get to experience Marketing Seller Education and Marketing Support wherein they are trained on how to sell online and increase their sales during and even after the quarantine. The program aims, too, to provide sellers with marketing support as they build their online brand and presence.
To prepare them some more, the target MSMEs are also taught the basic requirements for online visibility, including a mobile device, computer, or laptop, internet connection, bank account details where earnings can be sent, pick-up address, Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) 2303 Certificate of Registration, DTI or Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) registration, collection receipt, and sales invoice.
“What we want to witness is for our OTOPreneurs to continuously grow amid the pandemic. Times have been difficult for us for a year now but we consistently strive to meet the challenges with utmost resilience and with the help of innovation,” Ambi concluded. (DTI XI-Press Release | Michael Manguhig, RPN DXKT Davao OIC)