WTO envoy: SMEs key to Phl's export goals

The Philippines is urging small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to strengthen compliance, scale up production, and build deeper partnerships with government as the country accelerates efforts to boost exports and integrate local producers into global value chains.

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Philippine Ambassador to the WTO Manuel A.J. Teehankee in his recent visit to Cebu said that global competitiveness “starts at the barangay level,” noting that enterprises must first prove commercial viability within their communities before expanding to neighboring islands, major urban centers such as Manila, and eventually Southeast Asia.

“All international trade starts local,” he said. “If you can succeed in Manila — our own version of New York — you can compete globally.”

While the government continues to simplify requirements through the Anti-Red Tape Authority, regulatory discipline remains nonnegotiable.