Cebu’s continued economic growth is creating opportunities for local entrepreneurs to expand beyond their communities, with digital commerce giving micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) access to wider markets.
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), TikTok Shop Philippines and Converge ICT Solutions Inc. launched the Unlad Lokal program at the Cebu Provincial Capitol on Aug. 25 to help local entrepreneurs build their digital selling skills, improve connectivity and reach more customers.
The Cebu launch marked the program’s first Visayas leg and brought together around 100 sellers referred by DTI for training on digital commerce.
Cebu Gov. Pamela Baricuatro said digital platforms can help local businesses turn the province’s economic growth into opportunities for expansion.
“This is why programs like Unlad Lokal are important. We want our entrepreneurs to have access not only to technology, but also to the right knowledge, skills, and opportunities to grow their businesses,” Baricuatro said.
The initiative comes as Cebu continues to record economic growth.
Cebu City’s economy grew by 7 percent in 2024, reaching P334.48 billion, while Cebu Province posted 7.3 percent growth to P441.14 billion, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
The country’s digital economy is expanding alongside this growth.
DTI E-Commerce Bureau Assistant Director Perpetua Werlina Lima said the Philippine digital economy generated P2.74 trillion in gross value added in 2025, equivalent to 9.8 percent of gross domestic product.
Digital infrastructure accounted for the largest share at P1.79 trillion, or 65.4 percent, followed by e-commerce at 32.2 percent. Digital content and media accounted for 2.2 percent, while government digital services contributed 0.3 percent.
Lima said the figures reflect the growing contribution of digital activities to the Philippine economy, with e-commerce providing businesses with another avenue for expansion.
TikTok Shop reported that orders across the Visayas and Mindanao increased by 140 percent from July 2025 to July 2026.
The number of sellers in the two regions also grew by 50 percent, while creators increased by 160 percent. Gross merchandise value from LIVE selling rose by 130 percent during the same period.
TikTok Shop Philippines Marketing Lead Franco S. Aligaen said Cebu was chosen as the starting point for the Visayas rollout because of its business and innovation ecosystem and large MSME community.
“We wanted to start in Cebu because Cebu is a major hub for businesses, and also innovation. And there are a lot of communities here when it comes to MSMEs, and we wanted to take advantage of that,” Aligaen said.
Training sellers to scale up
The Cebu roadshow trained entrepreneurs on short-form content creation, LIVE selling, affiliate marketing, campaigns and other TikTok Shop tools.
The participants included sellers who were already familiar with the platform as well as entrepreneurs with no previous experience in digital commerce.
DTI 7 Acting Regional Director Esperanza Melgar said the partnership seeks to give MSMEs the skills needed to compete in an increasingly digital marketplace.
“This tripartite partnership reaffirms DTI commitment to capacitate our Filipino MSMEs with the tools and skills needed to participate effectively and efficiently in the digital economy,” Melgar said.
“We are not just getting entrepreneurs online, we are equipping them to thrive online,” she added.
The training also prepares sellers for TikTok Shop’s major sales campaigns, including the 9.9, 11.11 and 12.12 Mega Sale events.
Organizers advised sellers to improve their online storefronts, produce short-form videos and use LIVE selling and affiliate marketing to promote their products.
They were also encouraged to prepare inventory, pricing, fulfillment and customer service systems ahead of periods when demand could increase.
TikTok Shop said it is working with local warehouse and logistics partners to support deliveries across the Visayas and Mindanao.
Unlad Lokal has trained more than 35,000 MSMEs nationwide and expanded to more than 15 cities and regions.
Aligaen said more activities will be conducted across the Visayas and Mindanao as the program expands its reach.
The partnership combines DTI’s MSME development network, Converge’s connectivity capabilities and TikTok Shop’s digital commerce platform and seller education resources.
For Cebu entrepreneurs, the initiative provides another avenue to capitalize on the province’s economic expansion by reaching customers beyond their immediate communities.
Baricuatro urged the participants to apply the skills they gained and share them with other entrepreneurs in their communities.
“Learn, connect, ask questions, and bring what you learn here back to your businesses and local communities,” she said.
Photo by Kaiser Jan Fuentes
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