The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is ramping up its push to fortify micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), bringing 11 more logistics and allied firms into its Supply Chain and Logistics Center (SCLC) Network in a decisive expansion of its reach.
Speaking at Wednesday’s ceremonial signing for the initiative, DTI Secretary Cristina Roque made it clear that logistics is not optional — it is the backbone of business, particularly in an archipelagic nation where inefficiencies cost time, money and opportunity. She stressed that a stronger logistics backbone is critical not only for daily commerce but also for accelerating aid delivery when calamities strike.
She pointed to the country’s booming e-commerce industry — now the fourth largest in Southeast Asia — as proof that demand is surging and systems must keep up.
“We are already almost 120 million Filipinos so the market is so huge. There’s so much product that need to be moved. So, again, we need to really strengthen the supply chain and logistics,” she said.
“The President has been very clear — to revitalize our economy, we must modernize our infrastructure and transform the way we move our goods and people and the ideas, again from point A to point B. At the Department of Trade and Industry, we share those dreams,” Roque added referring to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Launched in June 2025, the SCLC Network has quickly grown to include more than 100 transport, storage and delivery firms, forming a nationwide force aimed squarely at eliminating bottlenecks that hold MSMEs back.
At the same event, the DTI appointed 33 industry leaders as specialists under the Supply Chain and Logistics Group (SCLG), tasking them with delivering free, hands-on guidance to MSMEs on operations, distribution and scaling up. The move signals a more aggressive, results-driven approach to closing capability gaps in the sector.
Among those tapped were top FAST Logistics Group executives: chief executive officer for Logistics Manuel Onrejas Jr., Vice President for Strategic Growth Initiatives Gladys Ceniza, and Business Unit Head for Cold Chain Solutions Marc Anthony Dizon.
“As disruptions, cost pressures, and service expectations continue to rise, businesses need supply chains that are not just efficient, but resilient and adaptable,” Onrejas said.
“The DTI Supply Chain and Logistics Guild is a timely platform where industry practitioners can share what works on the ground and help MSMEs build the capabilities they need to become more competitive.”
Ceniza reinforced the message, declaring that “logistics is an economic multiplier.”
“When goods move more efficiently, businesses grow faster, create more jobs, and compete more effectively. Through the DTI Supply Chain and Logistics Guild, public-private collaboration enables MSMEs to access these advantages and compete on a more level playing field.”
DTI PHOTO