The Philippine SME (PHILSME) Business Expo continued its strong support of small businesses and entrepreneurs as it concluded its 14th edition at the SMX Convention Center Manila in Pasay City, Metro Manila.

Organized by Mediacom Solutions Inc., the 14th PHILSME was another huge success, drawing around 8,000 attendees and creating a venue for business owners to network and collaborate. The event sponsors and exhibitors showcased business solutions and opportunities across diverse sectors such as finance, banking, advertising, healthcare, IT, logistics, franchising, and telecommunications, among others.

“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.”

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) make up the bulk of businesses in the Philippines, accounting for 99.59%, based on the 2022 List of Establishments (LE) of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). They face challenges such as limited resources, keeping up with the evolving market, and finding and forging strategic partnerships.

Through the two-day expo, small businesses and entrepreneurs connected with industry experts and business prospects, as well as browsed innovative solutions targeted at helping them grow. SMEs gained valuable insights and explored new opportunities, with the ultimate objective of setting up their businesses for sustainable success.

“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.

The event’s opening ceremony was hosted by veteran broadcast journalist Rico Hizon, and was graced by Department of Finance (DOF) Undersecretary Domini S. Velasquez, who heads the Office of the Chief Economist.

Sharing Solutions and Building Partnerships

Among the keynote speakers during the event were representatives from project management platform Odoo, which discussed how to streamline and automate business operations. Security Bank spoke about financing solutions that empower SMEs through financial inclusion. Toyota Financing addressed livelihood through accessible transportation modes, while creative platform Canva empowered attendees by teaching them how to use artificial intelligence (AI) in their creative projects.

Esguerra-Abrenilla noted that the support given to SMEs extends beyond the expo with the PhilSME Business Network, a monthly gathering where Philippine business owners get an opportunity to interact with other industry service providers.

“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 added.

PHILSME looks to continue empowering SMEs, start-ups, and entrepreneurs with the next edition of the expo, to be held on November 23 and 24, also at the SMX Convention Center Manila. For more information about PHILSME and upcoming events, visit www.PhilSME.com and its social media pages.