MANILA — The Philippine Franchise Association (PSA) wants more Filipino brands to expand overseas but admits it will need government help. 

At the opening of the Franchise Asia Philippines 2024 Expo in Pasay, PFA Chairman Sam Christopher Lim said many Filipino companies are already doing good in many countries like Jollibee, Max’s, Potato Corner and more, but he hopes that many other Philippine brands will also follow suit. 

“We want to get more Filipino global brands. Gusto natin mas marami tayong mga franchise brands that will go international. For this, we need government support. It's very expensive to join a lot of these shows and expos,” asserted Lim who is also CEO of Francorp Philippines.

Sherill Ramos Quintana, Chairman of the Past Presidents Council of PFA, said the government can help in many ways like having halal certification processes here in the country, helping with intellectual property rights, and granting fiscal incentives, among others.

"Access to funding, kasi ang taas ng interest rates ngayon for loans (because interest rates on loans are so high right now) if you want to expand your business," said Quintana who is also the founder of Oryspa. 

The government can also help food and cosmetics makers comply with the rules of the Food and Drug Administration.

As Filipino brands are being equipped for international expansion, many foreign players are also coming in and PFA welcomes this. The group said many shops from other countries are now entering the Philippine market and this is a good sign for the economy.

“We see many Malaysian, Taiwanese, Korean brands wanting to enter here. There’s also American franchise brands wanting to enter,” said Lim.

Senator Mark Villar, Chairperson of the Committee on Trade, Industry and Entrepreneurship, was the guest speaker at the expo and he said the entry of global brands in the country is a good sign for the economy and for the labor market.

“This demonstrates the capacity of the Philippines to cater to incoming investments that are posed to meet the thriving demand for diversified products and services from around the world,” Villar said.

He added that he is also happy to see Filipino brands operating well abroad. He added that the Philippines is among the biggest franchise markets in the world. The food and beverage sub-sector contributed $10.8 billion to the Philippine economy in 2022, while the non-food, retail and services contributed $1.34 billion.

“In 2022 alone, this industry has contributed 7.8 percent of the country's GDP and has generated roughly 2 million direct and indirect jobs for our countrymen,” Villar said.

PFA is now seeing an 8 to 10 percent growth overall for the industry this year. They hope the franchise expo can help expand the franchising industry, making it a top choice for Filipino entrepreneurs.