For small businesses looking to find new customers, secure financing, learn from experienced entrepreneurs or take their products to overseas markets, help could be getting closer to home as Southeast Asian leaders gather in the Philippines to push for more practical support for MSMEs.
The Philippines is set to host the ASEAN Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) Summit on September 21 at the Likhang Filipino Exhibition Hall in Pasay City, where around 400 trade ministers, business leaders and entrepreneurs from across the region will discuss ways to make it easier for small businesses to access capital, markets, mentorship and digital tools.
Organized by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) alongside the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC) Philippines, the event is supported by the Philippine MSME Development (MSMED) Council, the ASEAN Coordinating Committee on MSMEs (ACCMSME), and the ASEAN Secretariat. The gathering will bring together around 400 trade ministers, business leaders and small business owners from across the region.
Under the theme “Navigating the Future Together: Building Future-ready ASEAN MSMEs,” the meeting will highlight the country’s active role in helping small businesses across the region grow and adapt across the economic bloc.
It focuses on three key goals: expanding access to capital, markets and mentorship through public-private partnerships; supporting social enterprises that help reduce local poverty; and rolling out easy-to-use digital tools and training programs that entrepreneurs can start using right away.
Trade and Industry Secretary Cristina A. Roque, who serves as Chair of the ASEAN Economic Ministers this year, will lead the Philippine delegation and host a discussion on helping local businesses expand to global markets.
To offer practical help, the Philippines will launch five user-friendly support programs for the region. These include the ASEAN Center of Excellence for MSMEs (ACE-MSME) for regional business training, the ASEAN Mentorship for Entrepreneurs Network (AMEN 2.0) digital hub connecting owners with mentors and investors, hands-on training developed with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) to meet modern environmental standards, a detailed financing report by the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA), and a step-by-step guide developed with the International Trade Centre (ITC) to help small shops sell products online across borders.
The results of the summit will help guide major regional economic frameworks, including the Strategic Action Plan for MSME Development (SAP-SMED) 2030, the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Strategic Plan 2026–2030, and the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA).
By connecting local Filipino business owners and regional entrepreneurs directly with decision-makers, the event aims to ensure that regional trade agreements result in real support, new jobs and better commercial opportunities for local communities.
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