From Compliance to Expansion: CCCI Maps Out Support for Cebu MSMEs

For many micro, small, and medium enterprises, growth is often limited not by a lack of ideas, but by the difficulty of navigating permits, financing, training, taxes, and government support programs.

The Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) addressed this challenge by bringing key government agencies, financial institutions, technology providers, and business support organizations together through BizAssist x SPEAk 2026: One-Stop Government Solutions for MSME Growth.

Held on August 20 at Mezzo Hotel in Cebu City, the event gave Cebu MSMEs a more convenient way to access information, clarify concerns, explore financing options, and connect with agencies that can support their next stage of growth.

One venue, multiple business solutions
BizAssist x SPEAk 2026 combined two CCCI platforms with complementary goals.

CCCI’s BizAssist serves as a direct link between businesses and government agencies, helping enterprises access relevant programs and services. Meanwhile, SPEAk, or Sectoral Participation for Economic Advocacy, gives the business community a platform to raise concerns, discuss policies, and engage with government and industry stakeholders.

Together, the platforms created a one-stop venue where MSMEs could consult with representatives from Business Permits and Licensing Offices of Cebu City, Mandaue City, Lapu-Lapu City, and Talisay City, Department of Trade and Industry, Bureau of Internal Revenue, Department of Labor and Employment, Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board, Department of Agriculture, Department of Science and Technology, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, Small Business Corporation.

Private-sector partners GCash, PLDT Enterprise, and Top Bank Philippines also participated, offering information on digital payments, connectivity, and business financing.

Instead of visiting several offices across Cebu, business owners could ask questions and compare available services in one place.

Helping entrepreneurs get started right
The morning sessions focused on the fundamentals of operating a compliant and sustainable business.

The participating BPLOs discussed their permitting procedures, documentary requirements, digital platforms, inspection processes, and service improvements. MSMEs also raised practical concerns involving real property taxes, coordination between local governments and the BIR, temporary permit validity, digital processing, and the potential use of artificial intelligence for document checking and applications.

DTI presented the MSME growth journey, from registration and capability-building to product development, branding, market access, and digitalization. The agency also discussed its Shared Service Facility Program, which can help enterprises access equipment and support for improving their operations.

The BIR covered taxpayer registration, filing, payment, and reporting requirements. DOLE, together with the RTWPB, discussed labor standards, occupational safety and health, wages, productivity, and workforce development. DOLE also introduced the DOLE Adjustment Measures Program, which assists enterprises preparing for economic disruptions and possible workforce displacement.

During his opening remarks, CCCI Vice President for Business Advocacy and Policy Francis Dy emphasized that many MSMEs are aware that assistance exists but do not always know where to find it.

“MSMEs often do not fail for lack of ambition, but because they do not know which office to approach or which existing program can help them,” Dy said.

DTI–Region 7 Provincial Director Marivic Aguilar likewise highlighted the importance of making government support easier to discover and access.

Moving beyond compliance
The event also made clear that business support is not limited to permits and regulatory requirements. For MSMEs to become more competitive, they also need access to technology, product development, markets, and capital.

The Department of Agriculture–7 presented programs for agribusiness enterprises, including value-chain development, market access, credit assistance, and the Young Farmers Challenge. The KAYA, or Capital Access for Young Agripreneurs, program was also introduced as a possible financing source for qualified young agricultural entrepreneurs.

DOST–7 discussed laboratory and testing services available to MSMEs in areas such as food, water, materials, furniture, calibration, and shelf life. These services can help enterprises improve quality, comply with standards, and develop new products.

One example came from JCV Wood Products. Through DOST’s Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program, the company explored converting wood waste into briquettes, turning a disposal problem into a potential product and revenue opportunity.

Making financing more accessible
Capital remains one of the most common concerns among MSMEs, particularly for businesses seeking to maintain operations, fulfill purchase orders, expand, or modernize.

Small Business Corporation presented financing programs for working capital, purchase orders, enterprise rehabilitation, expansion, and modernization.

Top Bank Philippines also introduced collateral-free microfinance products and encouraged business owners to explore formal financing as a more sustainable alternative for funding business needs.

For MSMEs, the value of these discussions was not only in learning that financing programs exist, but also in understanding which options may be appropriate for their business stage and requirements.

Preparing Cebu businesses for the future
The final sessions focused on two areas that are becoming increasingly important: workforce development and digital transformation.

TESDA–7 presented enterprise-based training, micro-credentials, and competency assessment and certification. These programs can help businesses develop more capable teams while supporting enterprises with registered training programs.

GCash introduced its GCash for Business solutions, highlighting how digital payments can make transactions more convenient and support greater financial inclusion.

PLDT Enterprise, meanwhile, shared connectivity and digital solutions designed to help MSMEs modernize their operations and prepare for expansion. The company also announced Breaking Limits: MSME Day in Cebu, scheduled for September 30 in partnership with DTI.

Turning assistance into results
The event also featured business owners who demonstrated how government and private-sector support can lead to tangible outcomes.

CCCI Trustee Ma. Aleta “Tatah” Dela Calzada shared how DTI and CCCI initiatives helped her participate in trade fairs, formalize her business, and reach new markets.

The experience of JCV Wood Products offered another perspective: with the right technical assistance, an existing business by-product can become the foundation for a new product line.

These stories showed that assistance programs are most valuable when businesses can translate them into concrete improvements—better processes, stronger products, new markets, additional financing, or more sustainable operations.

Making support easier to find
BizAssist x SPEAk 2026 demonstrated that improving the business environment is not only about creating new programs. It is also about making existing support more accessible, understandable, and relevant to the enterprises that need it.

By bringing government agencies, financial institutions, technology providers, and the business community into one venue, CCCI helped MSMEs find the right contacts, ask more informed questions, raise operational concerns, and identify growth opportunities.