As more businesses move online, how do small and medium-sized enterprises grow and compete?

PLDT’s B2B arm PLDT Enterprise, through its micro, small and medium business unit (PLDT SME), convened hundreds of key industry leaders, entrepreneurs, business owners, and executives at SME Day Manila for focused discussions on how to level-up Filipino businesses to thrive in today’s digital-first economy.

“At PLDT, we believe that helping businesses grow is one of the most important ways we can contribute to nation building. Small and medium enterprises comprise around 98% of businesses in the Philippines, so every job you create, every customer you serve, every family you support, and every community you help uplifts and contributes to a stronger Philippines,” said John Eric S. Alviz, Vice President and Head of Digital and Trade Marketing at PLDT Enterprise.

Echoing the words of PLDT Chairman and CEO Manuel V. Pangilinan, Alviz told participants that their marching orders are clear: Take care of the country’s entrepreneurs. “Our Chairman has always believed that while there are small businesses, there are no small businessmen. When you create jobs, whether it’s one job or a thousand, it is big work. We’re all the same—colleagues in business who want to help build this nation,” he said.

During the sessions, participants learned more about future-ready wireless solutions, resilient connectivity, cybersecurity, digital transformation, and sustainable business growth through experts from PLDT Enterprise, ePLDT, Vitro and TikTok. Key sessions spotlighted 5G-driven opportunities, the critical role of fixed broadband in business resilience, and the importance of cybersecurity for modern enterprises. Discussions also explored data center solutions, as well as unlocking growth through platforms such as TikTok.

Anna Isabelle Magalona-Go, founder of But First, Coffee, also shared the insights she gained from her journey starting a homebased online-only café during the pandemic to having a full-blown coffee franchise business today.

“At the beginning, there were many challenges. We didn't have a store. We were a home-based online cafe. We were just connecting through these digital platforms. I was a one-man team,” she shared.

What proved to be crucial to her business’s growth are connectivity and partnerships. “Connectivity played a big role in enabling us to launch our business online, as well as respond to our customers online. Every business deserves connectivity that will support their day-to-day operations without any disruption,” she said, adding that this connectivity has also supported her collaboration with business partners. “No business grows alone, because behind every growing company are partners who help make growth possible. Growth is a journey that is built through relationships.”

A Q&A session with all the learning session speakers capped the afternoon-long program, which is a testament to PLDT Enterprise’s enduring commitment to empowering SMEs with the tools, technologies, and insights they need to innovate, adapt, and succeed in an increasingly digital world.

“Filipino business owners and entrepreneurs that create and grow businesses large and small, all throughout our nation, are the lifeblood of the Philippine economy. As they face various crises from rising costs to shifting geopolitical winds, it is incumbent upon us at PLDT Enterprise to ensure that every Filipino entrepreneur, regardless of size and scale, has access to the connectivity, technology, and solutions of the country’s premier integrated telco and techco to weather any storm and emerge stronger,” said Blums Pineda, Senior Vice President and Head of PLDT Enterprise.

PLDT Enterprise is set to roll out SME Day across the country. After its launch in Pampanga in May, it is set to also gather businesses in Davao and Iloilo. This initiative is aligned with PLDT Enterprise’s enduring commitment to empowering SMEs with the tools, technologies, and insights they need to innovate, adapt, and succeed in an increasingly digital business landscape. [END]