The “Investment Conference Digital Era”, a digitalization roadshow aimed at boosting cooperatives and startups across the country, was formally launched last July 17 at the historic Barasoain Church in Malolos, Bulacan.
The conference, organized by Digital Pilipinas and GeiserMaclang Marketing Communications Inc. (GMCI), seeks to inspire investments and local engagements for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).
Amor Maclang, co-founder of GMCI and convener of Digital Pilipinas, led the kickoff for the investment conference to show support for her hometown.
Since Bulacan is renowned as the “Cooperative Capital of the Philippines”, Maclang said she felt it was appropriate to help with the digitalization of cooperatives and MSMEs to keep up with the rapid technological advancements of industries.
The event started off with a tour to showcase the rich history of the City of Malolos and to give appreciation for the local economy.
Jojo Ajero, CEO advisor of GMCI, talked about the potential of MSMEs as they make up 99.6% of business establishments and 65.1% of total employment in the country.
During the event, Digital Pilipinas and GMCI signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with various entities and government agencies.
Among those who attended the event and signed the MOU were the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Provincial Science and Technology Office (PSTO) Bulacan provincial director Angelita Q. Parungao, Startup Ecosystem Leveraging on Opportunities and Networks for Growth (SULONG) Central Luzon Startup Consortium project manager Lance Arojado, and Business Assistance for Research Acceleration and Sustainability (BARAS) Technology Business Incubator (TBI) Center manager Nemuel Norman Giron.
During the signing, Malolos vice mayor Miguel Alberto Bautista encouraged local MSMEs to take advantage of the investment conference for the growth of their respective companies or organizations.
Bautista said the investment conference can serve provide the opportunity towards converting Malolos into a digital city and a tourist destination.
A panel discussion was held to discuss the benefits of digitalization and to share their success stories. The panelists included Dennis Dungo, territory manager of Bayad; Marc Mauro A. Orenza, senior project manager of CyberQ; Jiego Tanchanco, founder and CEO of FleetHive; Atty. Reo Andarino, president of Overseas Filipino (OF) Bank, and Christian Earl Dela Cruz, inbound sales manager of Dragon Pay.
The panel emphasized the importance of strategic alliances and partnerships among startups, to prosper as a group instead of treating other MSMEs as competition.
Another panel discussion, which included Parungao, Arojado, and Giron, tackled the available programs in their respective agencies and how MSMEs could apply for it.
The program ended with Brad Geiser, co-founder of GMCI, and Ria De Borja, GMCI content consultant, sharing tips on how MSMEs could market their brand to a wider audience and market their products.
