Women entrepreneurs push policy reforms for cultural MSMEs

“We have ideas, talent, and commitment—but no venue, no budget, and no one to back us.”

This plea captured the shared experience of many women-led cultural micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the Philippines as they called for stronger policies and inclusive support.

The appeal anchored the launch of the “Policy Leadership Workshop Series,” a three-part initiative led 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).

The event was held at the PIDS Conference Hall in Quezon City and gathered 25 women cultural entrepreneurs from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

Funded by the Government of Canada, the series is supported by Central Luzon State University (CLSU) and Xavier University – Ateneo de Cagayan (XU).

Its goal is to empower policymakers, MSME support institutions, and entrepreneurs to develop inclusive, gender-responsive programs for cultural MSMEs.

Participants detailed the burden of balancing business operations with caregiving duties and community roles, which disproportionately affect women in cultural sectors.

They emphasized the lack of access to financing, digital platforms, and sustained mentorship to scale their enterprises beyond survival mode.

They called for gender-sensitive financing mechanisms, targeted capacity-building, and institutional support that acknowledges the realities of women entrepreneurs.

PIDS President Dr. Philip Arnold P. Tuaño explained that the workshop aims “to map policy gaps and opportunities within the MSME ecosystem” 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 highlighted that cultural MSMEs “serve as key drivers in safeguarding Filipino heritage while simultaneously generating livelihood opportunities and fostering community empowerment.”

Dr. Eylla Gutierrez of the Asian Institute of Management stressed that “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.”

Dr. Jo-Dann Darong of the DTI–Philippine Creative Industries Development Council described the Philippine Creative Industries Development Act (PCIDA) as “landmark legislation” supporting creative MSMEs through financing, skills development, and market access.

Canada’s Head of Cooperation in Manila, Mr. Simon Snoxell, reaffirmed support for women entrepreneurs and emphasized their courage, saying, “You’re the ones taking the real risks.”

He noted that the workshop “plays a really important role in establishing a strategic platform for knowledge exchange and collaboration.”

Undersecretary Blesila A. Lantayona of the DTI’s Regional Operations Group emphasized in her keynote that creative and cultural MSMEs must be integrated into national development efforts.

Participants proposed policy actions such as establishing digital creative hubs, promoting green innovation, and creating a Cultural MSME Council to coordinate multi-sectoral support.

Dr. Karenina B. Romualdo of CLSU concluded that achieving economic sustainability requires “systemic empathy and policy imagination.”

She added that inclusive innovation “is not merely technological—it is social, cultural, and deeply human.”

The next workshops in the series will be held on November 12, 2025, in Nueva Ecija and December 11–12, 2025, in Cagayan de Oro City.

These upcoming sessions aim to refine and advance the policy recommendations shaped by the inaugural event.