MANILA — The Philippines on Wednesday launched a digital platform to help connect micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to local and foreign wholesale buyers.

The “Bagong Pilipinas Marketplace” seeks to “empower MSMEs by providing them a space where their products can be seen, recognized, and valued by a wider market,” President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said during the launching event.

“It is an initiative set to become a robust business-to-business e-commerce platform that will highlight the products and services that are proudly Filipino,” he said.

“This is very important because this is using the digital technology to expand markets, to expand supply chains, to make more efficient the delivery of goods and services,” he said.

Marcos has ordered the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to “lead the implementation of a sustainable framework” to ensure the “long-term functionality and support for MSMEs in today’s digital economy.”

“We must therefore work hand in hand to provide our local businesses with the knowledge and the resources that they need to navigate this new digital landscape,” the President said.

“We are also committed to ensuring that our entrepreneurs and consumers are protected through secure cashless payment systems,” he said.

“With these efforts to strengthen our local industries, we are indeed positioning the Philippines as a prime investment destination.”

The Bagong Pilipinas Marketplace was launched during the opening of the 5-day Bagong Pilipinas Food Fair in SM Megamall, which showcases various fresh and manufactured food products from different parts of the Philippines, an event that is part of the government’s celebration of “Filipino Food Month.”

“This National Food Fair is more than a gastronomic celebration of our rich and diverse culinary heritage. It is a testament to the incredible talent, ingenuity, and industry of our local farmers and artisans, who bring pride and honor to our country,” Marcos said.

“Let this event also serve as an open invitation to more potential investors—both Filipinos and foreigners alike—to take part in the opportunities that the Philippine market offers,” he said.

The fair features products from over 250 MSMEs, an initiative meant to “open opportunities for our food entrepreneurs, communities and of course, our heritage,” Trade Secretary Cristina Roque said.

“Our unparalleled regional food heritage takes center stage today… They need to build bridges and we need to connect exceptional local talent to the vast promising global stage,” she said.

Over 99 percent of the registered businesses in the Philippines are classified as MSMEs. The sector accounts for nearly 67 percent of the country’s total employment.