WINNING | DITO spotlights MSMEs scaling up nationwide

Insider Spotlight

• Five Filipino MSMEs are scaling from small beginnings into employers, digital platforms and industry builders.
• DITO BizBayan’s nationwide search drew 500+ nominations, 25 finalists and over 4,800 public votes.
• The winners span fruit retail, EdTech, coffee, franchising and autism-focused technology.

Filipino entrepreneurs are turning roadside stalls, pandemic startups and community ventures into growing businesses that create jobs, digitize services and strengthen local industries.

DITO’s big bet: DITO BizBayan named five entrepreneurs as its inaugural DITO BizBayani awardees, capping a 10-week nationwide search backed by government and private-sector partners.

The program drew more than 500 nominations before narrowing the field to 25 finalists. MSMEs account for 99.63 percent of registered Philippine businesses and over 65 percent of employment, according to the Department of Trade and Industry.

Finding the builders

Bobby Adan turned Prutasan ni Adan from a Cebu roadside fruit stand into a specialty grocery business generating eight-digit monthly sales, earning the Growth Excellence Award.

Felix Veroya’s Ask Lex PH Academy pivoted into an EdTech social enterprise that has served more than 100,000 graduates, taking the Digital Impact Award.

Anna Magalona-Go grew But First, Coffee from a one-woman pandemic startup into a business with a 150-to-200-person corporate team and more than 1,000 jobs generated through its franchise network. She received the Employer Excellence Award.

Going beyond growth

Ariestelo Asilo’s Varacco supports 100 coffee farmers across seven communities and produces roughly 100 tons of coffee annually. Asilo received the Industry Impact Award.

Rio Pomer of St. Pio won the Innovations Award for Bridges Autism App, an AI-powered platform combining therapy tools, progress tracking and community support for families raising children with autism.

DITO sees staying power

The telco says BizBayani is designed as an ongoing MSME program rather than a one-night recognition event.

“The BizBayani Awards were never meant to be a one-time celebration. They are a reflection of what we see every day in our work with MSMEs , entrepreneurs who innovate not because it’s trendy, but because their communities need them to,” said Gabby Cui, Head of MSME at DITO BizBayan.

What’s next? 

DITO plans to keep building programs, tools and connectivity around entrepreneurs beyond the inaugural awards.

“Our commitment doesn’t end when the trophies are handed out; it’s what pushes us to keep building programs, tools, and connectivity that help the next Bobby, the next Anna, the next Rio get their shot,” Cui added.

—Edited by Miguel R. Camus