Leading telecoms and digital services provider PLDT Inc. (“PLDT”) (PSE: TEL) (NYSE: PHI) and its digital innovations arm Voyager Innovations (Voyager) together with entrepreneurship advocate Go Negosyo announced today a partnership to help the country’s micro, small and medium entrepreneurs (MSME) engage in e-commerce through an end-to-end enablement program that covers all aspects needed to participate in the digital marketplace.
PLDT Senior Vice President and Head of PLDT Enterprise Jovy Hernandez, President and CEO of Voyager and PayMaya Philippines Orlando B. Vea, Go Negosyo founder Joey Concepcion, PLDT and Smart Chief Revenue Officer and ePLDT President and CEO Eric Alberto, League of Provinces of the Philippines Executive Director Sandra Tablan-Paredes and PLDT First Vice President & Head of PLDT SME Nation Mitch Locsin lead the ceremonial toast at the launch of PLDT-Go Negosyo partnership.
The partnership also aims to support the program of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to equip more than 100,000 MSMEs with digital solutions by 2020.
To push that agenda, PLDT SME Nation and GoNegosyo will provide the three “M’s”—specialized business training and Mentorship, access to wider Marketplaces through technology and an online selling platform, and finally, Money—access to funding and capital to jumpstart their business.
"We are committed to help SMEs thrive and become more globally competitive through digital services and solutions,” said PLDT Chairman and CEO Manuel V. Pangilinan. “We are confident that this partnership with Go Negosyo will positively contribute to government’s programs to improve the lives of our people by promoting digital entrepreneurship.”
Through more than 750 Negosyo Centers nationwide, local businesses can participate in Go Negosyo’s Mentor Me program which has been expanded to include training in setting up and managing online stores through the Tackthis!, the online store builder of Voyager.
This platform also provides small enterprises with the logistics capability to deliver goods to their online buyers. Once online, MSMEs can reach a wider market nationwide through Takatack (www.takatack.com), Voyager's virtual marketplace.
Business owners can gain ready access to capital and financial support through Voyager’s digital lending platform Lendr (www.lendr.com.ph), which helps MSMEs apply for various loan offers from participating banks and lending institutions.
The program will also equip merchants to accept mobile cashless transactions through PayMaya QR, which provides their customers a seamless payment experience via QR (quick response) code technology while at the same time eases the burden on cashiers and front-counter agents.
“The enablement program covers much of what business owners need to ready themselves in expanding their operations and putting up a presence in the online market space as we’ve all seen how e-commerce has become the new frontier aming Filipino consumers,” said Go Negosyo Founder, Joey Concepcion.
“We not only empower business owners by enabling them with latest available technology solutions to quickly establish their global presence online. We also help them optimize their business potential and enhance their market competitiveness through selling and fulfilling transactions using these readily deployable innovative platforms", said PLDT & SMART Chief Revenue Officer and ePLDT President & CEO, Eric Alberto.
"Through this program, MSMEs across the country can acquire new skills and capabilities that will enable them become successful players in the fast-emerging digital economy,” said Orlando B. Vea, President and CEO of Voyager and PayMaya Philippines.
In line with this, Voyager launched its “DigiHub” initiative last December under its Voyager DX program which aims to establish a center of excellence facility for digital platforms that entrepreneurs and MSMEs can utilize to help start of grow their businesses.
PLDT and Go Negosyo have been longstanding partners in promoting the development of MSMEs. Both have collaborated extensively to provide the necessary services and facilities and training to boost economic activity of local communities and regional hubs.
