Message of Support of Trade and Industry Secretary Cristina A. Roque
Launch of SheTrades Exporters’ Handbook
27 March 2025, 1:00 PM | HMA Residence, Forbes Park, Makati City
Her Excellency Ambassador Laure Beaufils, hello, good afternoon, and it’s nice to be back here. Rosemarie Rafael, Ms. Boots Garcia, partners from the British Embassy, the UNWTO International Trade Centre, Women Biz, Phil Wen, our dedicated stakeholders from various industries, fellow colleagues from government, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon to all of you.
Before I begin, I would like to thank our partners, especially the British Embassy Manila and the UNITC for your continued support in advancing the role of Philippine women in trade.
Your partnership is not just support, it is a catalyst for change. Since its launch in the Philippines in 2021, the SheTrades Commonwealth Plus program, led by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and delivered through the UNITC, has fundamentally shaped a more inclusive trade landscape. The creation of the SheTrades Outlook Policy Tool and the SheTrades Philippines Hub has empowered thousands of women entrepreneurs across the country by helping them build capabilities, forge market connections, and access vital resources for scalable growth.
The DTI is proud to have been a core partner in this journey because we believe that when we invest in women, we invest in progress. Actually, in the MSMEs, which comprises 99.5% of the business establishment and 60% of the workforce, 62% are women-led. Today we celebrate the launch of the Exporters Handbook, a testament to our collective dedication, developed through close collaboration with the UNITC and the DTI.
This handbook simplifies export requirements for women-led MSMEs, focusing on high-potential sectors such as agriculture, processed agri-food, fish, with particular emphasis on products such as tuna, pineapple, banana chips, coconut products, and fruit juices.
The Department of Trade and Industry, through our dynamic SheTrades Philippines Hub, launched during National Exporters’ Week last December 2020, is proud to be at the forefront of this movement. The Hub now serves as a vital resource center for women entrepreneurs, providing capacity building, policy insights, and market linkages.
Under President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.’s Bagong Pilipinas agenda, we are determined to create an economy that empowers every Filipino, especially our resilient women, our innovative MSMEs, and our vibrant communities at the margins. Through initiatives like this, we are not just envisioning change, we are acting on it. Together, let us continue to build a Philippines where women are not
merely participants in trade, but visionary leaders, architects, and thriving champions.
To our partners and stakeholders, and of course the UK government, thank you for making this launch possible, and let us continue to work together to open more doors and widen the path for women exporters. In Bagong Pilipinas, we don’t just promise inclusivity, we deliver it where no one is left behind.
Thank you and good afternoon to everyone. ♦
Date of Release: 27 March 2025
