Building biz strongholds for disaster-resilient MSMEs in Cebu

MANDAUE CITY -- Micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are widely known as the backbone of the Philippine economy, but in a nation heavily exposed to natural disasters and climate shocks, surviving the storm requires far more than grit—it takes strategic preparedness.

To tackle this challenge head-on, key government agencies, business leaders, financial institutions, and development partners gathered at bai Hotel Cebu on July 23 for the National Forum on Strengthening MSME Disaster Resilience 2026, with the theme “Negosyong Matatag: Building Resilient MSMEs for a Sustainable Future.”

The national convergence held special significance as it marked the 10th anniversary of the MSME Resilience Core Group (RCG) that was formed in 2016 through a coalition among the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), PHILEXPORT, and the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF).

The MSME RCG has spent the last decade shifting the business mindset from post-disaster recovery to proactive risk management.  Over the past ten years, the coalition has localized its National Roadmap for Strengthening MSME Disaster Resilience across all 18 regions.

Key accomplishments showcased during the forum included; the Digital and Mapping Innovation: Geotagging over 300,000 MSMEs via GeoRiskPH, alongside tech solutions like Katatagan in a Box, the Payong App, and HazardHunterPH.

Capacity Building, delivering 61 resilience trainings in 2025 alone to over 3,000 MSMEs, helping hundreds develop tailored Business Continuity Plans (BCPs) through the Microenterprise Resilience Program (MERP).

To lock in this progress for the decade ahead, representatives from the ten core member organizations participated in a ceremonial renewal of the MSME RCG Partnership Agreement, recommitting to policy support, digital innovation, and community-level training.

The forum highlighted the multi-sectoral nature of economic preparedness, bringing together key insights through two high-level panel discussions and an interactive World Café session including Disaster Preparedness  and Climate Adaptation with panelists including Assistant Regional Director for Technical Operations Bryan Ybañez representing the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Region VII, emphasized that business continuity must be integrated into everyday operations long before disaster strikes.

Financing resilience with financial experts highlighting the urgent need for accessible recovery funding, disaster insurance, and sustainability-linked investments to enable green transitions and faster post-disruption recovery.

Key leaders, including PCCI Vice President for MSMEs Melanie Ng and representatives from Cebu Governor Pamela Baricuatro’s office (PDRRMO), reiterated that building resilience is vital to sustaining local economic stability.

A centerpiece of the 10th-anniversary forum was the presentation of the inaugural "Negosyong Matatag: MSME Disaster Resilience Awards." Culminating a nationwide search that evaluated 112 nominees since October 2025, the awards honored enterprises that successfully embedded disaster preparedness into their organizational DNA.

National Awardees received a plaque + ₱50,000 Cash Incentive; Micro Enterprise Category--Domz Buko Pie.  Small Enterprise Category-- Intal Garments OPC and Medium Enterprise Category went to Tropical Palm Herb Manufacturing.

Special Citations received a plaque + ₱15,000 Cash Incentive.  Business Longevity (Parangal sa Matatag at Nagpapatuloy na Negosyo) went to Tinapayan Festival.  Levelled-Up Business (Parangal sa Negosyong Nagpamalas ng Malaking Paglago) went to Socio-Economic Development Program Multi-Purpose Cooperative; and Extraordinary Feats in Disaster Resilience (Parangal sa Pambihirang Kakayahang Bumangon at Magpatuloy) went to The VIP Hotel.

Timed alongside National Disaster Resilience Month and MSME Development Week, the forum reaffirmed the country's whole-of-society approach toward safeguarding local livelihoods.

As the MSME Resilience Core Group enters its second decade, upcoming tools like the Early Warning System Simulation Handbook aim to ensure that even the smallest Filipino enterprise can withstand both environmental and economic shocks. (Photos: DOST7/DTI7)

 

PH MSMEs tap new ASEAN circular tool to fight waste and skyrocketing costs

MANILA, Philippines — Micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the Philippines are getting a major sustainability upgrade in a bid to turn lofty “green goals” into hard-nosed business survival strategies.

"Many MSMEs recognize the growing importance of sustainability but still lack practical tools to turn commitments into measurable action. The circular economy provides a practical framework for MSMEs to demonstrate commitment and action,” said Jay Yuvallos, Chairman of the East Asia Business Council (EABC).

Yuvallos said that local MSMEs are joining a regional pilot of the Circular Business Check—a self-assessment tool designed to help small businesses slash waste, boost efficiency, and survive increasingly strict global market demands.

The initiative, backed by the European Union’s SWITCH-Asia Programme, places the Philippines alongside Indonesia and Thailand in testing the digital tool ahead of a broader regional rollout across ASEAN in September 2026.

While multi-billion-dollar conglomerates have dedicated teams to navigate Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) compliance, small neighborhood businesses and local manufacturers often find themselves left out in the cold.  To bridge this gap, the Circular Business Check acts as an entry-level digital diagnostic.

Yuvallos bared that the Circular Business Check allows business owners to assess their readiness to adopt circular economy practices such as reusing, recycling, and reducing raw materials; measure the effectiveness of their current eco-friendly initiatives and receive concrete, tailored recommendations on what practical steps to take next.

Why this matter for the Philippine economy?

In the Philippines, according to Yuvallos, MSMEs aren't just a market segment, they are the economic backbone. Citing data from the BSP Research Academy, it showed that MSMEs comprised 99.6 percent of all business establishments in the country with an employment rate of 67 percent, contributing some 40 percent to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) and an export revenue of 25 percent for the economy.

Yet, these very engines of growth are facing immense pressures. High utility costs, supply chain disruptions, rising labor costs, and bureaucratic red tape often threaten their daily operations. Transitioning to a circular model is no longer just about "saving the planet"—it’s about saving the bottom line, Yuvallos added.

"Circular practices can help address these pressures by improving resource efficiency, reducing input waste, cutting avoidable operating costs, and helping owners make better pricing, investment, and financing decisions," noted John Paolo Rivera, a senior research fellow at the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS).

By eliminating waste and reusing materials, small businesses can open up entirely new revenue streams while building resilience against unpredictable global supply chains. Furthermore, meeting these standards unlocks access to green financing and export opportunities, as international buyers increasingly refuse to work with high-emission, wasteful suppliers, noted Yuvallos.

Part of a larger regional push is the pilot program that was borne out of the East Asia Circularity Agenda, which was formalized during the 66th EABC Meeting in Tokyo under the co-chairmanship of the Philippines and Japan.

To solidify the initiative, Yuvallos signed a strategic cooperation charter alongside Thomas Thomas, President of the ASEAN Circular Economy Business Alliance (ACEBA), and Muhammad Firdaus Abdullah of ARAIBA Sdn. Bhd.

By simplifying sustainability into bite-sized, actionable steps, local business leaders hope the tool will strip away the intimidating corporate jargon surrounding ESG and empower the average Filipino entrepreneur to thrive in a rapidly greening global market. (Photos: Google Images)