Women-led MSMEs need stronger links to scale up

CEBU, Philippines — Women-led micro, small and medium enterprises need stronger links to buyers and corporate supply chains if they are to move beyond small-scale operations and compete in larger markets, business leaders said.

Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) president Regan Rex King said business groups, government agencies and large companies should go beyond trade fairs and create more supplier matching, procurement and partnership opportunities for small businesses.

“Sometimes, the missing link is the connection between the two,” King said, referring to MSMEs that have products but lack access to bigger markets.

Many entrepreneurs want to know how to get their products into supermarkets, supply large companies, join government or corporate supply chains and eventually export, he said.

“That is where organizations like WomenBizPH and CCCI … have an important role to play,” King said during the fifth anniversary of the Women Strong Network in Cebu.

The Women’s Business Council Philippines, or WomenBizPH, held the three-day Women Strong Network Hybrid Trade Fair 2026 from Aug. 14 to 16 at SM City Cebu, bringing together women entrepreneurs and Filipino products from across the country.

Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry ((PCCI) Vice President for MSMEs Melanie Ng said strong demand for some products at the fair shows that women-led businesses have room to expand.

Some exhibitors were unable to join the Cebu event because their products had already sold out in Manila, Ng said. She urged participating MSMEs to increase production and maintain enough inventory to meet demand.

“This is an example” that there is a market, she said.

WomenBizPH President Rosemarie Ong said the Women Strong Network has helped connect women entrepreneurs with customers and markets over the past five years. Some participants have expanded their businesses and started exporting to other Asean markets.

King said digital tools could further accelerate that growth.

MSMEs often face barriers not because they are unwilling to adopt technology but because of limited access to affordable connectivity, training and suitable digital tools, he said.

Businesses can start with social media marketing and move into e-commerce, digital payments, online accounting and international sales as they grow, King said.

“Digital inclusion is not just a technology issue; it is a business issue, and ultimately it is an economic issue,” he said.

King also called for a broader approach to business formalization. Registration, permits and compliance should be viewed not only as regulatory requirements but also as ways to unlock financing and access to institutional buyers, he said.

“When business is properly documented, it becomes easier to access financing. It becomes easier to enter supply chains to deal with institutional buyers, and it becomes easier to grow,” King said.

Cebu can strengthen its position as a growth platform for women-led MSMEs by bringing together entrepreneurs, government, financial institutions, business groups and private companies, he said.

The aim should be to create an ecosystem where women entrepreneurs can move from participating in markets to helping shape them and compete across the Philippines and the wider Asean region.