“We have ideas, talent, and commitment—but no venue, no budget, and no one to back us.”
One participant described the everyday reality of many women-led cultural enterprises in the Philippines—businesses that continue to operate under limited access to financing, uneven digital infrastructure, and unequal inclusion in business networks.
This call for support and recognition anchored the launch of the three-part “Policy Leadership Workshop Series,” organized by the Philippine APEC Study Center Network (PASCN) of the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) and the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada (APF Canada) through the APEC–Canada Growing Business Partnership.
Held at the PIDS Conference Hall in Quezon City, the first session, “Roots & Realities: Exploring Gender, Culture, and MSMEs,” brought together 25 women cultural entrepreneurs from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
The series is funded by the Government of Canada and supported by Central Luzon State University (CLSU) and Xavier University – Ateneo de Cagayan (XU).
The workshop series aims to strengthen the capacities of policymakers, MSME support institutions, and entrepreneurs in crafting gender-responsive and inclusive programs for cultural MSMEs.
Women entrepreneurs detail persistent challenges
Participants shared the difficulty of balancing enterprise management with caregiving responsibilities and community expectations—pressures often intensified for women in cultural work.
Several participants also pointed out the lack of platforms for visibility and capacity-building to help enterprises shift from survival to sustainability.
They urged the development of gender-sensitive financing, mentorship programs tailored to cultural enterprises, and support systems that recognize women’s multiple roles in households and communities.
Experts and policymakers echo call for inclusive support
PIDS President Dr. Philip Arnold P. Tuaño emphasized that policy solutions must reflect on-the-ground realities. He explained that the workshop series is “designed to map policy gaps and opportunities within the MSME ecosystem, particularly for cultural and women-led enterprises,” and to “co-create policy recommendations that link grassroots insights with the tools of evidence-based reform.”
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Director Emma C. Asusano of the Bureau of Small and Medium Enterprise Development also stressed that cultural MSMEs “serve as key drivers in safeguarding Filipino heritage while simultaneously generating livelihood opportunities and fostering community empowerment.”
Adding a gender lens, OIC-Executive Director Dr. Eylla Gutierrez from the Asian Institute of Management - Dr. Andrew L. Tan Center for Tourism, noted that “while MSMEs play a pivotal role in promoting inclusive economic growth, structural barriers such as gender bias, unequal access to resources, and socio-cultural norms continue to hinder the full participation of women and marginalized groups.”
Meanwhile, Dr. Jo-Dann Darong, Acting Deputy Executive Director of the DTI–Philippine Creative Industries Development Council, discussed the Philippine Creative Industries Development Act (PCIDA), describing it as a “landmark legislation that institutionalizes government support for the country’s creative economy” through programs that enhance financing, capacity building, and market access for creative and cultural MSMEs.
Canada, Philippine governments reaffirm support
Mr. Simon Snoxell, Head of Cooperation of the Embassy of Canada in Manila, reaffirmed Canada’s commitment to supporting women entrepreneurs and strengthening MSME ecosystems.
“Being an entrepreneur—especially a woman entrepreneur—can be extremely challenging,” he said. “We, as bureaucrats, as university professionals, as people who work in research institutes, admire you for the work that you’re doing because you’re the ones taking the real risks.”
He added that the workshop “plays a really important role in establishing a strategic platform for knowledge exchange and collaboration, and equipping participants with practical knowledge and skills.”
In her prerecorded keynote, Undersecretary Blesila A. Lantayona of the DTI’s Regional Operations Group reiterated the government’s commitment to fostering enterprise innovation and ensuring cultural and creative MSMEs are integrated into broader national development priorities.
From challenges to policy pathways
Participants proposed several policy directions, including establishing digital creative hubs to bridge the digital divide, integrating sustainability and green innovation into enterprise development, and providing continuous training for women entrepreneurs.
They also proposed the creation of a Council or Secretariat for Cultural MSMEs to coordinate and sustain multi-sectoral support for cultural and creative enterprises.
Reflecting on the discussions, Dr. Karenina B. Romualdo, CLSU Vice President for Business Affairs and workshop facilitator, highlighted that progress requires “systemic empathy and policy imagination.”
She emphasized that innovation is not merely technological—it is social, cultural, and deeply human.
“Breaking gender hierarchies, addressing financial inequities, and fostering inclusive ecosystems are not side issues—they are central to achieving creative and economic sustainability,” she concluded.
Next steps
The next workshops will be held on November 12, 2025, at the CLSU in Nueva Ecija and on December 11 to 12, 2025, at XU in Cagayan de Oro City.
These sessions will build on the insights and policy proposals generated in this inaugural event. ### —MAEC
