More small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the Philippines and other Southeast Asian countries are encouraged to use a web portal providing trade-related information crucial for market access and their internationalization.
Members of the Task Force on Asean SME Service Center, www.aseansme.org, aim to increase the number of overall traffic to 62,500 in 2023, based on the updated draft work program on the portal. The Philippines currently is one of the biggest portal users in the region, ranking sixth with 1,381 total usage following Thailand-7,624; Singapore-2,684; Indonesia-2,242; Myanmar-1,956; and Malaysia-1,470. Asean recognizes the need to link SMEs with enterprises, traders, suppliers, manufacturers, and consumers within Asean member-states (AMS) and trade partners. “So that by enhancing their market access and paving the way for their internationalization, SMEs are able to take advantage of the trade and investment opportunities and benefits from regional economic integration,” the portal said.
To prepare globally competitive SMEs, the portal provides services, including finance, investment, sales and marketing, quality improvement, research and development, science and technology, capability development, licenses, registration and permit, utilities and others.
Also part of the portal are business consultation forums, services/experts referral system, e-marketplace, online business opportunity matching, event calendars and other features that can provide integrated services and advice to entrepreneurs in the Asean region. Its Knowledge Center provides information on initiatives regarding SMEs development in Asean Economic Community from policy-level to program-level, as well as best practices from across the region. This page serves as a “communication channel” for 10 SME agencies in AEC and Asean Secretariat to share their resources with SMEs in the region. The portal also contains a directory of new and sales products. SMEs account for over 95 to 99 percent of all business establishments and generate between 51 and 97 percent of employment in many Asean member- states. Their contribution to the gross domestic product of Asean economies is generally significant at about 23 percent to 58 percent, while those to exports ranges from 10 percent to 30 percent.