Next-Gen Negosyo: 5 Tips to Sustain SMEs’ Growth this 2026

Small and medium enterprises continue to power the Philippine economy, creating jobs and driving local innovation. But staying competitive in 2026 means adapting to new consumer behaviors, digital trends, and smarter financial strategies.

From strengthening your online presence to building the right partnerships, there are practical ways entrepreneurs can sustain growth this year. Here are five key tips that can help SMEs stay resilient and scale with confidence—with support from partners like EastWest Ageas.

Autokid’s Digital Drive: How a Homegrown SME Is Accelerating Growth Through PLDT Enterprise’s Support

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Through its partnership with PLDT Enterprise, Autokid Mobility Solutions strengthened its connectivity, centralized operations, and customer service backbone—proving how the right digital partner can help homegrown SMEs scale with confidence.

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With the new TikTok Go LIVE! Studio Packages, creators and SMEs get access to tools and connectivity designed for serious streaming. Curious how this partnership can help streams run better, look sharper, and reach more viewers? The full story breaks down what this means for the growing creator economy.

Trend Micro Platform Exceeds 10K Large Enterprise Customers, Extends Proven Solution to SMEs

Global cybersecurity leader Trend Micro Incorporated (TYO: 4704; TSE: 4704) has achieved new growth and availability milestones for its cybersecurity platform. Trend Vision One™ now serves over 10,000 enterprise customers worldwide and has also been extended to help small- and mid-sized enterprises (SMEs) better manage their cyber risk.

WorldFirst to expand e-commerce digital finance solutions for SMEs in Southeast Asia in 2023-2024

WorldFirst, a one-stop digital payment and financial services platform for cross-border trade SMEs, recently announced its plan to launch e-commerce digital finance solutions in new Southeast Asian markets in 2023 and 2024, aiming to support online sellers achieve growth with secure, fast and reliable cross-border payment and financial services as well as easy one-stop connection to multiple global marketplaces.

Building on its success in China, Singapore and other markets, WorldFirst will introduce the suite of solutions through World Account to Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, and Malaysia to facilitate global selling, management and growth for SMEs.

Selling: SMEs can open a multi-currency World Account within minutes to be able to trade like a local around the world. World Account supports 42 currencies to over 200 global markets to facilitate global sourcing. It also enables local collection in 30 currencies from more than 120 e-marketplaces, supported by WorldFirst’s access to 40 local fast payment schemes worldwide. While SMEs are often denied access to global multi-currency pooling by traditional service providers, with World Account, funds paid into sellers’ local collection account will be instantly pooled over as available balance. 

Management: During the crucial scaling-up stage, SMEs are often hampered by the challenge to manage multiple stores across different e-marketplaces under multiple entities. World Account provides a single user-friendly portal for sellers to manage their growing operations across countries and marketplaces. Sellers can tier stores, e-marketplaces and entities, while customizing account statements accordingly for reconciliation.  

Growth: Through its Global Voyage program launched in 2022, WorldFirst offers hassle-free one-stop store opening services across global marketplaces, thanks to its strong partnerships with these marketplaces. With an expedited process across 28 partner e-commerce platforms, set-up time for the seller goes down to within 24 hours. In addition, sellers may find a broad array of value-added professional services through WorldFirst to boost their growth, from online advertising, logistics to website development and management.

“Building on our global fintech capabilities and strong success in China, Singapore and other markets, we are confident our secure and fast cross-border payment and e-commerce enablement services can help small businesses in Southeast Asia extend their international footprint,” said Clara Shi, CEO of WorldFirst and Vice President of Ant Group.

WorldFirst prioritizes the safety and security of client transactions above all else with a leading fraud prevention track record in the industry. It partners with banks and financial institutions to safeguard client funds, including eight Globally Systemically Important Banks.

The adoption of cross-border digital payment systems is considered a key catalyst to e-commerce growth, making it easier for small businesses to find new customers by accessing new regional and global markets and managing their payments, a report by the EU-ASEAN Business Council finds. In Singapore, SME clients of WorldFirst experienced a 70% increase in their monthly GMV between October and January 2023.

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PLDT Smart SME Nation puts the focus back on MSMEs

MSMEs—or micro, small, and medium enterprises—are driving the Philippine economy to an interesting direction: inclusive growth.

As of 2013, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) recorded 937,327 businesses falling under the MSME category, which accounts for 99.6 percent of all registered enterprises in the country. The micro segment is the largest segment, with over 800,000 registered entities that provide 2.3 million local jobs and generate 25 percent of the country’s total exports.

These figures highlight a new economic landscape where more and more people—even those with little to no capital or those typically excluded from the job market—generate and gain productive employment. Students, housewives, retirees, and individuals with limited physical abilities can participate in income-generating activities through starting their own micro-enterprises.

“PLDT Smart SME Nation believes in empowering individuals to become modern entrepreneurs,” said Mitch Locsin, PLDT VP and PLDT Smart SME Nation Head. “Entrepreneurship is not only about helping one’s self, but also about contributing to families and communities. Collectively, MSMEs contribute to an economically stronger Philippines.”

Leveling the playing field
Despite the increasing number of Filipino entrepreneurs and their growing economic impact, an overwhelming majority is missing out on profit and expansion opportunities.

“Only one percent of over 900,000 MSMEs have online presence,” noted Locsin. “With the rest of the world quickly moving to a more digital-centric business direction, MSMEs—especially the micro-enterprises—need to catch up, fast.”

A group dedicated to amplifying the business potential of MSMEs, PLDT Smart SME Nation offers the right digital tools to future-ready micro-entrepreneurs. Through a reliable landline and high-speed DSL connection, the SMART BizKit, and an online store powered by Tack This!, a micro-enterprise can reach and serve more customers with lower overhead costs.

“The digital arena is where MSMEs can directly compete with large enterprises,” added Locsin. “That’s why we support our entrepreneurs and help them conquer the digital landscape with our products and services.”

Gearing up for a digital future
Last April 22, 2016, PLDT Smart SME Nation gathered over 1,400 modern Pinoy entrepreneurs at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila for a day filled with revolutionary insights and key learnings from the country’s industry stalwarts. Dubbed TechIsland 3.0, the event is the first SME Nation business convention to be open to the general public.

To help MSME owners embrace a digital future and put their learnings into practice, PLDT and students from Pampanga’s St. Mutien College developed websites for each TechIsland 3.0 attendee. The students developed 30 percent of the websites, and will continue to work with PLDT Smart SME Nation for future projects to benefit MSMEs.

SME Nation also rolled out the TechMobile, a caravan of digital tools and solutions specifically designed for MSMEs, in several key provinces, including Negros and Cavite. Through this initiative, PLDT and Smart’s tech expertise can easily reach entrepreneurs wherever they are in the country.

Locsin added, “By empowering MSMEs to participate in the digital disruption happening in business right now, we also empower them to become active players in the journey towards nation-building through inclusive economic growth.”

To find out how you can become a digitally savvy micro-entrepreneur, visit www.smenation.com.ph.

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