With digital platforms now part of everyday life, knowing how to use them can make all the difference for MSMEs. For Aileen Rubytan, of Davco Employees Cooperative (DAVECO), a women-led entrepreneurial group in Davao City, empowering her members with essential digital tools is key to helping their cooperative thrive in an increasingly competitive market.

“Our group was created to help women start selling locally. Even though we are just starting out, our vision is clear. We want to empower women,” Aileen shared.

That vision became even clearer during PLDT and Smart’s eBizNovation “Shop and Ship” Caravan held in Davao. Organized by J&T Express Philippines, TikTok Shop Philippines, PLDT Enterprise, Smart, and the Department of Trade and Industry, the event brought together small business owners and students to learn how to use TikTok Shop, leverage AI for content creation, and partner with reliable logistics providers.

“This is such a great opportunity,” Aileen said. “Even though digital tools are everywhere, we didn’t know how to use them effectively. This event made things clearer. We now understand how to promote our products online and create our own marketing content.”

Aileen also realized that they didn’t need a physical store to start selling. “Now we can sell products online and create our own marketing collaterals, which means so much for a group like ours.”

The sessions also covered online safety, logistics efficiency, and accessing support for small businesses. Through its eBizNovation program, PLDT and Smart continue to upskill and uplift Filipino MSMEs and cooperatives through collaborative partnerships and digital upskilling. The program also supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal No. 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth.