SM Supermalls prioritizes MSMEs through its ongoing SM StartUp Package offering
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| The SM StartUp Package was launched via a virtual event on Oct. 15. Hosted by (upper L-R) Sam YG, SM tenant-partners fashion designer Patty Ang of athleisure brand Patton and young e-commerce entrepreneur Jerald Sze of Straightforward talked about their experiences as MSME owners. Offering valuable advice were (middle L-R) Department of Trade and Industry Asec. Mary Jean T. Pacheco, SM Supermalls President Steven T. Tan, and BDO Network Bank SVP & MSME Business Head Karen Cua. Also present were (lower L-R) SM Supermalls AVP of Leasing Strategy & Operations Gina T. Katigbak, BDO FVP of Merchant Partnerships Retail Sales Head Bob Tolentino, and SM Supermalls VP of Corporate Marketing Grace F. Magno |
The recent launch of SM Supermalls’ SM Start-Up Package has ignited new hope and inspiration for MSMEs in the country, most especially those affected by the pandemic and prolonged lockdowns.
Considered the backbone of the economy, MSMEs account for 99.5% of all enterprises and employ 63.2% of the labor force as of the end of 2018 per a 2020 Asian Development Bank (ADB) report. In SM alone, almost 70% of their partners are MSMEs, many of which were start-ups that found success in SM malls.
