2024 Wholesale and Retail Trade Forum

2 min read

The Department of Trade and Industry E-Commerce Group, in partnership with the Philippine Retailers Association (PRA) and Supply Chain Management Association of the Philippines (SCMAP), has organized the 2024 Wholesale and Retail Trade (WRT) Forum that will be held on December 2, 2024, at the AIM Convention Center, Makati City.

The significance of the wholesale/retail trade sector cannot be ignored. Based on data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) Section G of the Philippine Standard Industrial Classification (PSIC), referring to “wholesale and retail trade” accounted for 18% of the country’s total GDP in 2023, amounting to Php 4 trillion, and 23% of total employment, equivalent to 10.3 million employed in the sector.

The WRT Forum is a follow-through from the series of Focused Group Discussions (FGD) held last October 8 and 9, 2024, aimed at engaging the ecosystem in formulating the sector’s roadmap. Dubbed as Section G: Job Blueprint for the Wholesale and Retail Trade, the job blueprint is a sectoral roadmap that seeks to identify key strategies to increase competitiveness of the wholesale and retail trade sector, future proofing the sector to maximize the opportunities under a digital economy by addressing issues and concerns identified by the stakeholders themselves. The collaboration between manufacturers, logistics providers and wholesaler/retailers including sari-sari stores in the roadmapping initiative ensure a comprehensive plan.

Building on previous FGDs, this forum will spotlight key themes critical to the sector’s future growth and competitiveness in the digital economy. We will delve into these spotlight issues:

  • Labor Policy, Skills, and Workforce Development: DOLE x TESDA
  • Ease of Doing Business: ARTA
  • FDA policy for restaurants, groceries, drugstores: FDA
  • Trade Facilitation and Taxation: DOF, BOC, BIR
  • Consumer Protection and Intellectual Property Protection: DTI x IPOPHL
  • Innovation and Digitalization: Private Sector

These segments include an interactive Q&A session, offering a valuable opportunity to engage with industry leaders and share insights into the sector’s growth.

The participated of the participants would not only contribute significantly to wholesale and retail sector initiatives but also expand your professional network and uncover new business opportunities. This forum will underscore how public-private partnerships can shape a sustainable future for the industry.

Reference:

Mary Jean T. Pacheco, CESO II
Undersecretary, DTI E-Commerce Group

DTI Office of Supply Chain and Logistics E-Commerce Group / Bagong Pilipinas

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