Makati City, Philippines—On May 02, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) held a high-level meeting to discuss the “Future of Jobs Accelerator for MSME Development in the Philippines” at the DTI Boardroom in Makati City. This initiative demonstrates the country’s continued engagement with the World Economic Forum (WEF), following Secretary Cristina A. Roque’s participation at the WEF Annual Meeting in Geneva last January.

Trade Undersecretary Blesila A. Lantayona, Officer-in-Charge of the DTI, warmly welcomed key stakeholders to the pivotal discussion. The initiative was co-chaired by Assistant Secretary Nylah Rizza D. Bautista of DTI’s Competitiveness and Innovation Group, Atty. Edwin Lacierda representing Ms. Teresita Sy-Coson of SM Investments Corporation, and Ms. Prep Palacios, Country Director and Head of Industries at Google Philippines.

A key highlight of the program was the presentation of the DTI-WEF Joint Research and the Future of Jobs Accelerator Program. This presentation was delivered by Mr. Till Alexander Leopold, Head of Inclusive Economies Practice, and Ms. Steffica Warwick, Lead in the Work, Wages and Job Creation Mission at the Centre for the New Economy and Society of the WEF. They emphasized the need to promote technology adoption, upskill the micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) workforce, and enable high-productivity MSME growth across the country.

The urgency of this initiative is underscored by the findings of the WEF Philippines Future of Jobs Workshop Report 2025, which identified technological change as the primary driver of job transformation in the country. Furthermore, it highlighted that while MSMEs account for 99.6% of business establishments in the Philippines, contribute 45.5% to the country’s gross domestic product, and employ 67% of the workforce, their productivity per worker in emerging economies like the Philippines is only 29% of their counterpart in large enterprises.

The report projects that by 2030, if the Philippine workforce would consist of 100 people, 68 workers would require training. Among these, 28 could be upskilled within their current roles, while 27 may need to be reskilled for new roles. The remaining workers would not require training, although some may be unlikely to receive the necessary reskilling or upskilling. These figures underscore the need for strategic interventions aimed at boosting productivity and competitiveness through innovation, digital adoption, and inclusive upskilling.

Valuable insights and reflections were shared by Ms. Josephine C. Romero of Private Sector Jobs and Skills Corporation and the Private Sector Advisory Council -Education and Jobs Cluster and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority Deputy Director General Nelly Nita Dillera.

DTI Regional Operations Group officials Assistant Secretary Grace Baluyan, Assistant Secretary Dominic Tolentino, and Director Emma C. Asusano also presented key MSME development initiatives currently being implemented in the regions.

An open floor discussion followed, focusing on three central questions: What initiatives, policies, frameworks, and tools currently support MSMEs in the Philippines? How can these initiatives be effectively scaled? And what types of campaign and communication materials can support the expansion and impact of these efforts?

The Future of Jobs Accelerator Philippine MSME Development is being implemented by the DTI Competitiveness and Innovation Group under the leadership of Supervising Head Assistant Secretary Bautista, with technical support from Bureau of Competitive Development Director Lilian G. Salonga. This collaboration between the public and private sectors marks a vital step in ensuring that Filipino MSMEs are equipped for the future of work. ♦

Date of Release: 08 May 2025

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