The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is widening its logistics backbone, betting that stronger supply chains will translate into faster exports and more competitive small businesses.
Trade Secretary Cristina Roque on Wednesday, February 11, unveiled the second batch of partners under the agency’s Supply Chain and Logistics Center (SCLC), calling the expansion a decisive move to safeguard the country’s trade lifelines.
The new roster brings together heavyweights in shipping, land transport, customs facilitation, and last-mile delivery—tightening links between factories, ports, and consumers. Among them are Toyota Motor Philippines, Victory Liner, and Mober Philippines, bolstering private fleet capacity that can be mobilized during disasters to move food, medicine, and relief goods.
“Logistics is a vital pillar of our national resilience,” Roque said, stressing that integrating industry leaders ensures supply chains remain operational even in crises.
The export angle is equally strategic.
As global demand for Philippine goods picks up, the inclusion of the Association of International Shipping Lines and the Philippine Chamber of Customs Brokers aims to ease bottlenecks in shipping and documentation—long-standing pain points for local producers trying to compete abroad.
For micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), the partnership could be transformative. “This is a strategic move for our MSMEs, effectively removing the logistical challenge that limits their reach,” Roque said.
Through the SCLC portal and Guild support system, smaller firms gain direct access to a coordinated logistics ecosystem—an edge that could narrow cost gaps with larger players.
The broader message: in a trade environment shaped by volatility and climate risk, logistics is no longer back-end support. It is strategy.
