Growing a business is no longer just about having a good product. Micro Small and Medium Entrepreneurs (MSMEs) also need access to knowledge, financing, technology, and wider markets to help their businesses grow and thrive.
This was the focus of the first-ever Iloilo City MSME Summit, which brought together around 170 local entrepreneurs, government agencies, and industry partners for three days of learning, networking, and business opportunities.
Mayor Raisa Treñas assured that the city will continue to develop programs and policies that will help businesses start, grow, and compete.
“We, in the Iloilo City Government, see you. We hear you. And we are with you. Your businesses are not small in impact. You are the backbone of our local economy. You create jobs, you feed families, you bring innovation to our streets and markets, and you make Iloilo a city of opportunity,” she said.
The summit introduced concrete support that could help local businesses move from simply surviving to growing.
Among these is the proposed Negosyo Credit Access for Resilient Enterprises (CARE) Program, which Mayor Raisa said will provide accessible financing for micro-entrepreneurs without interest and collateral.
Under the city’s RISE-to-ACTION Framework, the initiative strengthens the Rising Economy pillar by creating opportunities for MSMEs to access resources and expand their businesses.
For entrepreneurs like Lorena Soldevilla, a food products business owner, the summit offered valuable lessons and inspiration from fellow entrepreneurs and resource speakers.
Emylene Diaz of Niemz Digital Printing Shop, meanwhile, described the experience as a privilege, particularly for new entrepreneurs who are still finding their way in business.
“Nangin dako nga bulig para sa amon nga bag-o nga negosyante kay ga-startup kami. Damo nga prebilihiyo ang mahatag, damo nga bulig kay ini nga program ni Mayor is not just kami lang ang ma-satisfy or kami lang mahatagan bulig. In return, makabulig kami sa city government para magdako pa gid ang projects ni Mayor for another projects pa gid. Mayor, salamat gid, and to LEDIP,” said Diaz.
The three-day summit, joined by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST)-6, Department of Trade and Industry Region 6, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry – Iloilo, Shopee Philippines, and other partners and stakeholders, also connected entrepreneurs with government services, financial institutions, and e-commerce platforms while providing sessions on business registration, digitalization, financial literacy, online selling, and market expansion.
