Cordillera entrepreneurs adapting to e-commerce

By Liza Agoot 

BAGUIO CITY – The Dept. of Trade and Industry in Cordillera said more than 8,500 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) have resumed operation through e-commerce.
    The MSMEs’ online presence would allow them to thrive and continue marketing their products if they can be accessed via the Internet, accept payment via the different online payment portals, and be able to deliver their products without the need to physically meet up or the client needing to visit the store or the production area, Juliet Lucas, OIC director of the DTI-Cordillera, said in an interview on Friday.
    Lucas said 3,060 MSME owners were trained and equipped with online capability as early as 2020, while 5,536 more were assisted from January to September this year.
    "They are coping, especially with the help of their children who are adept in social media and technology," she said.
    Lucas noted that many of the MSMEs, no matter how small the business is, have embraced the new trend in marketing and payment that now allows them to sell their produce online.
    She added that aside from the DTI, several government agencies have been aiding the sector to cope with the e-commerce system, which the government started to lay down for its supposed full implementation in 2030.
    "We had to rush and make our traders adapt to it immediately when the pandemic struck but we are glad that the traders are willing to embrace it," Lucas said.
    She added that about 75 percent of the MSMEs in the region are now partially in operation while about 15 percent are in full operation while 10 percent have opted to fully halt operation due to losses and difficulty of marketing and coping with the online trend.
    Lucas said they are glad that some MSME products are now present in major online shops, such as Lazada and Shopee. -- PNA