MALOLOS, Bulacan — The Department of Trade and Industry is pushing more Bulacan-based micro, small and medium enterprises into Southeast Asia’s wider market after identifying the province’s first 25 “ASEAN-ready” MSMEs — businesses that have moved beyond local selling and started meeting the regulatory, certification and digital requirements needed to compete outside the Philippines.
But becoming “ASEAN-ready” may be only the beginning.
According to DTI Bulacan Provincial Director Atty. Coco Chanel Garcia-Yap, the 25 businesses under the Tatak Bulakenyo banner have strengthened their market readiness through interventions under the One Town, One Product Next Generation program, including Halal certification, Food and Drug Administration requirements, licenses to operate and participation in digital marketing platforms.
The announcement comes as the Philippines holds the ASEAN Chairship in 2026, giving Filipino businesses a timely opportunity to position themselves for deeper regional trade and supply-chain participation. The country’s ASEAN chairship is anchored partly on “Prosperity Corridors,” which includes stronger economic integration, digital transformation and more inclusive development across Southeast Asia.
9,516 New MSMEs Registered in Bulacan
DTI said 9,516 new MSMEs were registered in Bulacan from January to July 2026, showing the continuing expansion of the province’s small-business sector.
Of these, around 5,373 businesses belong to priority industries such as coffee, cacao, bamboo, processed food and wearables, according to the PIA report.
The bigger challenge now is turning more of those thousands of businesses into enterprises capable of meeting standards demanded by large retailers, institutional buyers and overseas markets.
DTI’s current approach goes beyond helping entrepreneurs open a business. It increasingly involves product development, branding, food-safety compliance, digitalization, certification and eventually export readiness.
Bulacan has been moving in that direction for years.
In 2025, DTI assisted 105 microenterprises in Bulacan with product labeling, an important requirement particularly for food manufacturers seeking FDA compliance and access to larger markets.
Earlier digitalization efforts also brought thousands of Bulacan MSMEs onto e-commerce platforms. DTI data cited by PIA showed that by August 2024, a cumulative 17,560 MSMEs had been onboarded onto online platforms, dramatically expanding their potential customer base beyond traditional physical stores.
Why Halal Certification Matters
One of the biggest components of DTI’s ASEAN strategy is Halal certification.
For food producers, certification can open doors to Muslim-majority markets such as Indonesia and Malaysia and to Muslim consumers elsewhere in Southeast Asia.
The opportunity is significant — although the scale must be stated accurately.
The original PIA report described ASEAN as containing “several billion” Muslims. That figure cannot be correct because ASEAN’s total population itself stood at about 684.1 million in 2024, according to ASEAN statistics.
Still, the potential Halal market is enormous. Indonesia alone has well over 200 million Muslims, according to Indonesian government religious-population data, while Malaysia is another major regional market for Halal-certified goods.
DTI said it will continue subsidizing certification expenses through the Halal Industry Development and Promotion Project while offering MSMEs training on Halal basics and certification procedures.
Certification for participating Bulacan enterprises is being handled by the Halal International Chamber of Commerce and Industries of the Philippines, or HICCIP. The organization appears on the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos’ list of Halal certifying bodies, and HICCIP is also included in Malaysia’s January 2026 list of recognized foreign Halal certification bodies.
That international recognition matters because a certificate has greater commercial value when accepted by authorities and buyers in the destination market.
From Ube and Buko Pie to ASEAN Shelves?
Among the 25 Tatak Bulakenyo businesses identified by DTI are producers of ube products, buko pie, mushroom chips, cornicks and condiments.
These are exactly the types of locally rooted products the government hopes can move from provincial trade fairs into institutional, national and eventually international distribution channels.
The 25 enterprises are also among roughly 30 exporters DTI says it has assisted in reaching countries covered by Philippine free-trade agreements.
That strategy reflects a wider national objective.
DTI Undersecretary Allan Gepty said earlier this year that one of ASEAN’s major economic goals is to integrate MSMEs into regional and global value chains — not simply by encouraging them to export directly, but also by connecting smaller firms with larger companies already participating in international trade.
That distinction is important.
A Bulacan food producer does not necessarily need to immediately establish its own overseas distribution network. It could instead become a supplier to a larger Philippine manufacturer, retailer or regional company whose products and supply chains already cross borders.
Money Remains Part of the Problem
Certification and market access mean little if small businesses cannot afford to increase production.
DTI said the Small Business Corporation continues providing financing support to Bulacan entrepreneurs.
From January through June 2026 alone, ₱74.8 million in loans was extended to 94 MSMEs, according to the PIA report.
Access to financing could become increasingly important once a business secures larger purchase orders.
An MSME capable of producing hundreds of units for a provincial trade fair may suddenly need to manufacture thousands if it wins a supermarket, institutional or export contract. That means additional raw materials, packaging, equipment, workers, logistics and working capital — often before payment from the buyer arrives.
The Bigger Question: Can “ASEAN-Ready” Become ASEAN-Selling?
The DTI initiative is promising, but certification should not be confused with guaranteed commercial success.
Halal certification, FDA compliance, licensing and online selling remove important barriers, but businesses still have to compete on price, production capacity, consistency, branding, packaging, logistics and consumer demand.
Bulacan nevertheless has several advantages.
Its proximity to Metro Manila, growing manufacturing base and expanding transport infrastructure could make it increasingly attractive for businesses serving both domestic and overseas markets. DTI has previously pointed to the development of the New Manila International Airport in Bulakan and the Bulacan Special Economic Zone as potential catalysts for investment and international commerce.
So the real measure of DTI’s ASEAN push will not simply be how many businesses earn the “ASEAN-ready” label.
It will be how many eventually secure repeat overseas orders, enter regional supply chains and grow from microenterprises into larger companies.
For Bulacan’s first 25, the paperwork may finally be falling into place.
Now comes the harder part: convincing Southeast Asia to buy.
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