PLDT SME Nation Continues To “Make It Big” In Cebu

Last July 28, PLDT SME Nation kicked off the second leg for its BIG Talks conference series in Cebu at the Marco Polo Plaza. As the company that recognizes the need to motivate micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) which make up the backbone of the Philippine economy, the BIG Talks conference is part of the telco giant’s ‘Make it BIG’ campaign that encourages MSMEs in the Philippines to take their business to the next level through technology.

This nationwide effort empowers budding entrepreneurs by helping them achieve their full potential, with useful tips from some of the biggest success stories in Philippine business.

“99.6% of the Philippine enterprise population is made up of either micro, small or medium enterprises and we at PLDT SME Nation believe it to be our mandate, our social responsibility, to help these businesses to continuous and inclusive growth and development. Beyond Greater Metro Manila, we want to go out and take this all across the Philippines and Cebu is one of our most important stops” said PLDT Smart SME Nation’s VP and Head Mitch Locsin. “We wish to have them ‘make it big’ in their respective industries, and prepare them to go global in the near future.”

The highlight of the Cebu leg of the BIG Talks conference is a forum led by a stellar lineup of business ambassadors from Penshoppe’s Bernie Liu leading the keynote, followed by a panel discussion on ‘Going Global’ joined by fellow industry giants, Justin Uy of Profood International Corporation and Joe Magsaysay of Potato Corner. In this one-day-only event, SME Nation introduced its pillars to Cebu with a panel discussion on ‘Inclusive Growth’ with those whose businesses of humble beginnings turned into successes, sharing their own journeys of making it big as leaders in their industries –Joseph Calata of Calata Corporation, Kim Lao of Kimstore, Rudy and Rosiell de Leon of Bianca’s Ice Candy, Jacque Gutierrez and Risa Trillo of Happy Skin, Carlo Calimon of Mobkard, and Tina Sambalido of Renegade Folk.

“The BIG Talks series was kicked off in Manila last month. It was the first step in a greater plan to provide MSMEs with knowledge and resources enabling them to make it big—this plan continued here in Cebu and will continue in many other forms but always with the same objective,” added Locsin. “We look forward to bringing the BIG Talks series to key cities in the Philippines to continuously fuel the Filipino entrepreneur through cutting edge solutions that solve real-life problems and business needs.”

To know more about PLDT SME Nation’s ‘Make It Big’ campaign, its activities and what it has in store for the nation’s MSMEs, please visit www.makeitbig.ph visit https://www.facebook.com/SMENation/.

Photo caption: PLDT VP and Head PLDT SME Nation Mitch Locsin