The Philippines sent a record 300 micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to ProPak Asia 2026 in Bangkok, underscoring a growing recognition that technology adoption is becoming critical to staying competitive in an increasingly demanding market.
The delegation, organized by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), was significantly larger than last year’s 227 participants, reflecting stronger interest among Filipino entrepreneurs in modernizing operations through advanced processing, packaging, and automation technologies.
Held from June 10 to 13 at IMPACT Muang Thong Thani, ProPak Asia is widely regarded as Asia’s largest processing and packaging exhibition, drawing global manufacturers, technology providers, and industry leaders from the food, beverage, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, and consumer goods sectors.
The event offered more than a trade show for many Philippine MSMEs. It provided a firsthand look at technologies designed to address persistent business challenges, including rising production costs, labor constraints, supply chain inefficiencies, and increasingly stringent export requirements.
The exhibition featured innovations in smart manufacturing, digital production systems, cold chain logistics, and sustainable packaging—areas that are becoming increasingly important as businesses seek to improve productivity while meeting environmental and quality standards.
The Philippine delegation, led by DTI officials including Undersecretary Blesila Lantayona and Assistant Secretary Leonila Baluyut, also conducted benchmarking activities with Thailand’s National Innovation Agency and visited Siam Cement Group Packaging Public Co. Ltd. to study innovation financing, startup development, and circular economy practices.
The expanded participation highlights a broader shift in the MSME sector. While access to capital remains a challenge, competitiveness is increasingly tied to technology, efficiency, and innovation. Exposure to global best practices can help smaller firms move beyond survival mode and position themselves for higher-value production and export markets.
As MSMEs account for the vast majority of Philippine businesses, efforts to accelerate their technological upgrading could have an outsized impact on productivity, job creation, and long-term economic growth.
