Supply Chain and Logistics Center Pledge of Support Ceremonial Signing

18 June 2025, 10 AM | OSEC Conference Room

Thank you, USec. Jean. Before I get started with the speech, there’s a protocol. So we need to do the speech as how it is.

But before I start, I first want to thank everybody here, that’s part of the supply chain and logistics companies, especially people from 2Go, Airspeed, Cebu Pacific Cargo, DHL, F2 Logistics, Fast, FedEx, Flash, Grab, Lalamove, Laguna Gateway, LBC, Maersk, Philippine Airlines Cargo, PMTLAI, Yellow X, San Miguel, SCMAP.

Okay, so good morning to everyone and thank you for coming. Before I start again, I’d also like to say, sobrang importante ang supply chain and logistics, especially that we are 7,600 islands.

We need to move our products from point A to point B. It’s very difficult for us if we don’t work together aggressively and very strongly on making sure that we get especially the food and other non-food items from point A to point B, especially when there are calamities, when there are times when, like now the San Juanico Bridge, where, I mean, these are incidents or these are times that we cannot avoid. So these are times that we really need the help of your company to really get the job done because a lot of the Filipino people need the food, need the assistance of the supply chain and logistics. That’s why I was telling Jean we need to set up a supply chain and logistics center here in the DTI because we need to educate the MSMEs especially how to move the products from point A and point B because sometimes they have the products, they may have the order, but they don’t know how to move and they don’t know how much the costs are, they don’t know exactly how these things go.

So on our part, the Department of Trade, that is our responsibility to make sure that we tell them exactly how it’s done. And on your part, we also ask for your help to help them to be able to move because SMEs or MSMEs are small now, but they could also be the big ones in the near future. A lot of the huge ones now have been small also before, but someone’s got to help them and it’s us, government, mandated by our president, Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. He really told me, Cris, we need to get the goods out, we really need to move the products, especially of the MSMEs.

So thank you again for your support. So esteemed partners from the logistics services and private sectors, fellow colleagues from the government, you said Jean Pacheco, of course, very dynamic and very aggressive. Thank you for your support and thank you also for always pushing, especially the supplies.

I can see your passion. To the media friends who’s always covered me and has been very patient with me, good morning to the beat reporters and to my media friends. Kahit weekend, they are with us when we go to the Divisoria, we go to the palengke, they’re always there to report because they understand that we need to get also all of these things out there for the consumers.

Kasi hindi nila malalaman unless we tell them. So the only and the best way for us to tell them is through our media friends. So to our media friends, maraming salamat.

It can be difficult sometimes, but please bear with me. But thank you so very much. Allow me to begin by acknowledging the presence of our esteemed partners and leaders who represent the backbone of our logistics ecosystem.

I have already mentioned the companies, but now I’ll mention the people. Mr. Francis Chua of 2GO, Ms. Mariz Regis of Airspeed, Ms. Bonita Busch of Cebu Pacific, Mr. Roderick Queppet of DHL, Mr. Ernie Soriano of F2 Logistics, Mr. Manuel Onrejas Jr. of Fast Logistics, Ms. Maribeth Espinosa of FedEx, Mr. Lorenz Garcia of Flash Express, Mr. Gio Tiongson of Grab, Ms. Carmela Rodriguez of LGICT, Ms. Djon Nacario of Lalamove, Ms. Citadel Cortez of LBC Express, Ms. Melissa San Gabriel of Maersk, Mr. Jason Siy of PAL Cargo, Mr. Erich Lingad of PMTLAI, Ms. Edita Molato of SMYPC, Mr. Dennis Llovido of SCMAP, and Mr. Marcus Francisco of Yello X. Did I miss out on anyone? Okay, thank you for being here. Thank you so very much. And more importantly, thank you for standing with us in this shared mission.

We need your help, especially during calamities. Our country, sometimes talagang umaabot tayo sa calamities. So we really need to move the goods, especially for the consumers who need it the most.

Today, we bring to life what Bagong Pilipinas represents. A whole-of-nation collaboration to work smarter, faster, and with a collective purpose. As we mark the launch of the Supply Chain and Logistics Center for SCLC or SCLC, we are lowering their logistics costs and making our MSMEs more competitive and more connected.

So again, thank you so very much for giving the MSMEs cheaper logistics costs for them to be able to move their goods around. Through the SCLC hotline and portal, MSMEs can now access real-time support for freight inquiries, service referrals, regulatory guidance, and definitely more. And of course, right at their fingertips.

All we need to do is to just give them information. Kasi nagnenegosyo ang mga yan, so we need to charge also. But ang importante, we just have to get the message across.

We just have to inform them ano ba talagang importance ng isang supply chain and logistics company. But of course, we also need to bridge for growth because Filipino products have so much potential. We should promote it across our country and all over the world.

But as we often say, DTI cannot do this alone. This is why today’s pledges of support matter deeply to all of us. These are not just ceremonial signatures, but these are commitments, operational, technical, and strategic.

We need to be strategic. Kasi if we move yung bara-bara or kahit ano nalang, hindi pwede. We must have a strategy for MSMEs.

Each company, of course, we cannot control the operations of the company and the policies of the company. But it’s also good for us to have at least a strategy or a hotline where MSMEs can call or where we can direct them to call where they can inquire actually how it is to build their booths. Kasi, let’s say, sampung bote ng suka is so expensive compared to, let’s say, 10 shirts.

But the value of the suka is so much lower than the value of the shirts. So we need to teach them. Example, I’m from Mindanao. I want to order from Ilocos. Paano na yun? How can I get it there? And I want to sell it now. Example, I want to do wholesale buying or wholesale selling.

Paano na? How can I do it? If we do it by weight or if we do it by air, then it’s going to cost a lot. So we need to educate them. And remember, the MSMEs cannot fill up a whole container.

They cannot fill up 40-footer, 20-footer. So definitely lose cargo sa mga to. So you need to teach them also how to maneuver and how to be able to shift or move the goods.

We don’t need to do it with everybody. We can do a pilot. And then if there’s a success story, please share it to all of us so that everybody can learn from them.

But, of course, this is not for the commitments. We here at DTI, we commit to help also whatever the needs of the supply chain and logistics companies are. So anything that you need from DTI, I’ll give you my card.

Just message me through WhatsApp or Viber. Or whatever you need on the capacity of your own companies, not necessarily for the MSMEs. So DTI is also here to grow your company and to also, on our part, parang yun rin ang pasasalamat namin sa inyo, at least for the help that we give to the small and medium enterprises.

To our founding partners, thank you for leading the way. The SCLC is not a one-time project. It is a phased effort, meaning by phases ito.

I told Usec Jean, we need to do it by phases. Hindi pwedeng one-time lang, tapos one year, matatapos. We need to do it now.

The people need to move the goods now. We’re opening a flagship store sa paba, MSME flagship store. So definitely there’ll be a wholesale buying there.

So how do they move the goods? We will definitely recommend your companies to them. So just be available for them. Of course, we will move towards establishing the physical SCLC hub, which definitely we should be finished by this year.

A logistic help desk, training ground, and matching platform. Kasi each and every area, hindi pwede lahat ng logistics. I know the cost, lalo na for international, some are more expensive because they really deal with yung quick ba.

Then some are cheaper because they deal with the longer time. Eventually, we envision integrating these services with our negosyo centers, 1,400 nationwide. So if you get this right also, it’s also big business for your company.

So win-win ito. But first, the hard part is getting it started. But we must get started now.

Of course, we need to also make sure that the MSMEs get reached. Kasi some are very far away. So we need to plan for that also.

Before I conclude, I want to emphasize that this partnership is about not just solving today’s logistical challenges. But in fact, we are laying the foundation for a truly responsive logistics ecosystem that will empower every Filipino business to thrive and no one gets left behind. So let’s pilot it.

We don’t have to start huge. We can start small. And then from there, we can grow the business of the MSMEs.

You know, when I started to sell the products of MSMEs in UAE, that market, hirap sila nung una to get the products of the MSMEs. It’s too little. But with the collective efforts of a lot of MSMEs bonded together, actually became very profitable for them.

So they set up an office already here in Pampanga because the business has really grown tremendously. So sometimes we have easier processes. Some mas mabusisi, but when you put them all together, it’s still income.

Income is really better than none. To our MSMEs, understand that this center is built specifically for you. It is designed to help you overcome hurdles and reach your full potential.

This is the mandate of our President, Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. He told me, Cris, make sure that we get this done. Make sure that we really move the MSMEs for growth. And we really make sure that kahit papano during this term, a lot of MSMEs will really grow and hopefully be tycoons someday.

And to our incredible partners here today, thank you. Thank you so very much for believing in this vision and for choosing to build this future with us. Thank you.

Let us move forward together, smarter, faster, and stronger. Because when we work as one, we can truly showcase the Bagong Pilipinas that leaves no one behind. Thank you and good morning to everyone. ♦

Date of Release: 19 June 2025