CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga (PIA) – The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) continues to strengthen support for women entrepreneurs with expanded financing programs, digitalization initiatives, and capacity-building efforts.
During the 2025 Central Luzon Women’s Entrepreneurs’ Summit, DTI Undersecretary for Regional Operations Group Blesila Lantayona announced that DTI launched the Women Enterprise Fund, a P1 billion loan facility dedicated to support women-led businesses across the country.
“This is a bold step forward in acknowledging women’s needs and backing them with the resources they deserve. It is now open to receive loan applications from women-entrepreneurs all over the country,” she said.
Lantayona said this is part of DTI’s commitment to promote inclusive development by giving women entrepreneurs access to needed resources like financial, market, trainings, and technology.
In his previous State of the Nation Addresses (SONAs), President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. underscored the vital role of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in national recovery and resilience.
He specifically cited the need to streamline support systems, improve access to financing, and promote digital transformation—goals that this new initiative directly addresses.
Through the Small Business Corporation (SB Corp), DTI has also been providing financing programs such as the Pondo para sa Pagbabago at Pag-Asenso (P3), Purchase Order Financing, and RiseUP Multi-Purpose Loan to provide financing options for businesses’ diverse needs.
The undersecretary cited that DTI’s Gender and Development program mainstreams gender-responsive policies to ensure that women entrepreneurs are given priority in national development initiatives.
Among these, she mentioned initiatives like the Kapatid Mentor ME, One Town One Product, e-commerce, and digitalization programs that continue to enhance women’s abilities to compete and prosper.
In line with the President’s digitalization agenda, DTI Central Luzon Regional Director Edna Dizon stressed the agency’s effort to onboard more women entrepreneurs into digital platforms and integrate artificial intelligence tools to reach more markets efficiently.
“Digitalization is now a critical component of business operations for ease of doing business and transactions,” she noted.
DTI also presented the Central Luzon Strategic Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) Development Plan 2023-2028, which lays down a roadmap for the diversification, digitalization, and empowerment of small business in the region.
“We are here to support women with ideas and inclinations to transform them into viable enterprises. DTI has provincial offices, Negosyo Centers, and business consultancy desks across municipalities and provinces that are very willing and ready to guide aspiring entrepreneurs in transforming ideas into opportunities,” Dizon said.
She said DTI programs continue to exemplify the Marcos administration’s commitment to enable a business environment that uplifts women, empowers small businesses, and accelerates digital transformation across all sectors. (CLJD/MJSC, PIA Region 3-Pampanga)
