More micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) can benefit from real-time logistics information and lower costs as the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), through its Supply Chain and Logistics Group (SCLG), welcomed nine new industry partners to the Supply Chain and Logistics Center (SCLC).
The new partnerships were formalized during the SCLC Pledge of Commitment and Ceremonial Signing held at the OSEC Conference Room in Makati City on July 21, 2026.
Since launching the center in June 2025, DTI’s SCLG has steadily expanded its network of industry partners to provide MSMEs with real-time access to logistics services, supply chain information and business support.
Joining the center’s growing network of service providers and broader partnership ecosystem are AC Logistics, AP Cargo, Crystal Cold Storage Inc, DSV Contract Logistics, Inc, Magsaysay Logistics and Transport Corporation, Orient Freight International Inc, Robinsons Logistix and Industrial Inc, SyCip Gorres Velayo & Co. (SGV) and United Parcel Service Philippines Inc (UPS).
DTI Secretary Cristina A. Roque said the continued expansion of the SCLC reflected growing private-sector confidence in the Marcos Jr. administration’s efforts to strengthen the country’s logistics ecosystem through sustained public-private collaboration.
“Since its launch in 2025, the SCLC has evolved into an active collaboration platform where government, logistics service providers, and industry experts work together to improve logistics accessibility, affordability, and reliability for local enterprises and MSMEs. As we continue to grow this community, we are also strengthening the Philippines’ capacity to improve supply chain resilience, and enhance our competitiveness within ASEAN and the global marketplace,” Roque said.
This year’s third batch builds on the strong foundation established by the previous partnerships.
The SCLC’s inaugural batch of 18 major industry leaders formed the SCLC Online Portal and the SCLC Hotline. Meanwhile, the second batch added 12 new signatories, creating the SCLC Guild—a pool composed of 33 industry experts providing pro bono advisory and specialized lessons on artificial intelligence (AI) adoption, agrilogistics, customs compliance and cold chain management.
In her opening message, DTI Secretary Cristina A. Roque emphasized that the continued expansion of the SCLC reflects the growing confidence of the private sector in the government’s vision of strengthening the Philippine logistics ecosystem through sustained public-private collaboration.
For geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas, this partnership between the government and the industry is vital to improve MSMEs’ access to information, service referrals and direct government assistance.
Impact to MSMEs
This impact has already been felt by businesses such as Alvin Project Beans, a Cavite-based enterprise founded in 2017 by its CEO, Alvin Causing.
Causing, who sources raw materials from Cavite, Batangas, Benguet and Mindanao, shared how the DTI has helped them from the very beginning through the Kapatid Mentor ME program and various trade fairs, eventually helping the company become a full-fledged exporter, now shipping products to Canada, Belgium, China and Spain.
“During the time na nag-eexport kami, may time na ang laki ng nawala na pieces, ng items. So humingi ako ng tulong sa DTI, specifically logistics kay Ms. Sandina David. Bago ako lumapit sa kanya, nakipag-coordinate na ako noon sa logistics company. Ilang linggo nila akong hindi pinansin, walang nangyari. Lumapit na ako sa DTI, and after 1 week lang, may kasagutan na.Yung losses ko, napalitan naman nila,” Causing shared.
Growing industry partnerships
To address these core operational struggles, AP Cargo Logistics Network Corporation President and Chief Executive Officer Enrique “Ike” Castillo explained how the company’s nationwide network helps address these challenges.
“At the core of the concern is actually the solution that AP Cargo provides kasi we’re actually the only one from North to South. Even in Tawi Tawi, we have a branch there. In addition to that, we have hundreds of trucks doing pick-up and delivery. And if you look at the customer base that AP Cargo has, 99.9% is actually MSMEs. That is why we are known for shipping all forms of shapes and sizes,” Castillo said, noting that these clients consist of resellers, entrepreneurs and business owners all over the Philippines.
Complementing these nationwide logistics services, AC Logistics Holdings Corporation CEO Erry Hardianto discussed the critical need to optimize the agricultural supply chain.
“For us investing in this partnership, our ultimate goal is to increase the efficiency of the farm-to-table. Of course, with the various stakeholders, including the DTI, the producers and the retailers. We want to streamline those by making strategic nodes where we can make a difference,” Hardianto explained.
Recognizing these efforts, SCLG Undersecretary Mary Jean T. Pacheco underscored that logistics is fundamentally about human and economic connectivity. “It is about connecting producers to markets, helping businesses grow, strengthening food security, supporting disaster resilience and ensuring that every Filipino entrepreneur, regardless of location, has access to opportunities,” Pacheco noted.
Moving forward, DTI aims to sustain this momentum by permanently embedding the center into the government’s administrative framework. SCLG is pursuing the formal institutionalization of the SCLC under the proposed Supply Chain and Logistics Bureau, while working with the Department of Budget and Management to secure plantilla positions.
