Taguig City Mayor Lani Cayetano (center) joins officials from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), and TikTok Shop Philippines in launching the Unlad Lokal Roadshow Caravan in Taguig City. The initiative aims to empower Filipino MSMEs and creators through digital skills training and e-commerce opportunities.
In a landmark move for local entrepreneurship, TikTok Shop has rolled out its Unlad Lokal initiative in Taguig City, where more than 50,000 registered micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) operate—and thousands more remain unregistered. The city government’s openness and firm commitment to empower these businesses has paved the way for a collaboration that promises to be both timely and transformational.
Taguig’s large base of registered MSMEs, combined with an even larger pool of informal micro-enterprises, makes it fertile ground for digital transformation.
The city’s local government has already established a comprehensive support programme, offering training, learning tools and access to financing facilities to scale up these businesses. By meeting digital-commerce platforms halfway, the LGU has created a clear runway for innovation and growth.
Taguig City Mayor Lani Cayetano underscores the importance of digital innovation and partnerships like Unlad Lokal in helping local entrepreneurs and creators build sustainable livelihoods in the digital economy.
The partnership: uniting platform and place
Through Unlad Lokal, TikTok Shop has partnered with Taguig City to provide grassroots entrepreneurs and creators with digital-commerce tools, skills and opportunities to expand their online presence.
This partnership advances the city’s goal of building a “future-ready” economy, while aligning with national priorities to drive inclusive digitalisation and alternative livelihoods across the Philippines.
The program, launched earlier this year in collaboration with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), reflects TikTok Shop’s commitment to nurturing a digitally-enabled MSME sector. Since March 2025, the initiative has already trained more than 17,000 entrepreneurs across Metro Manila, Pampanga and Naga. With Taguig now onboard, the rollout is entering a new phase of local-government-driven momentum.
Training, mentorship and showcase: equipping Taguig entrepreneurs
Under the Taguig-specific rollout, TikTok Shop and the city will stage a series of learning sessions, mentorship forums and in-app showcase activities tailored to local MSMEs and creators.
Topics will include digital-marketing fundamentals, live-selling techniques and brand-storytelling strategies—empowering participants to expand their reach and sustain growth online.
In addition, the programme is directly integrated with Taguig’s existing MSME support ecosystem, meaning that technology-driven growth doesn’t happen in isolation but is woven into the city’s broader programmes for training, financing and capacity-building.
Taguig’s endorsement: putting local entrepreneurs first
“As part of our Probinsyudad vision, we believe that every small business is a story of perseverance,” said Taguig City Mayor Lani Cayetano. “Many of our local entrepreneurs started from home kitchens, neighbourhood stalls and small online pages. What they often lack is not talent or passion, but access to tools, networks and digital knowledge.’
She added, “That is why we welcome Unlad Lokal with open arms. It complements our ongoing prograes for MSME development, digital literacy and innovation as we drive toward a future-ready and inclusive economy.”
Her remarks underscore the city’s recognition that digital-commerce tools alone aren’t enough—what matters is ensuring access, training and infrastructure for every participant in the local business ecosystem.
Multi-stakeholder trust: strengthening the ecosystem
The Taguig launch reflects broader cross-sector collaboration. TikTok Shop’s alliances with DTI, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and major telecom partners demonstrate how private platforms, government agencies and local governments are increasingly working in tandem to build an inclusive, future-ready digital economy.
DTI-NCR Division Chief Rowena San Jose observed, “Programs like TikTok Shop’s Unlad Lokal bring to life our goal of helping small businesses embrace e-commerce while ensuring they grow sustainably and ethically.”
The DICT has also emphasised that “digitalisation should be inclusive and secure,” recognising that equipping entrepreneurs with tools is only half the equation—ensuring a safe, trusted digital environment is equally critical.
Nationwide vision, local execution
While the initial trainings under Unlad Lokal have taken place in Metro Manila, Pampanga, Naga and beyond, the Taguig pilot exemplifies how the programme is shifting from national rollout to local embedment. As the platform scales to other cities such as Bacolod, Baguio, Cebu and Davao, the Taguig collaboration provides a model for how digital-commerce platforms and city governments can co-deliver value to grassroots entrepreneurs.
Significantly, the programme isn’t just about growth—it emphasises responsible and safe online commerce. Sellers and creators are trained on best practices in transparency, ethical selling and consumer protection so that the expanding marketplace remains trustworthy for everyone involved.
With Taguig’s 50,000 + registered MSMEs—along with the untapped thousands of informal micro-enterprises—the potential is substantial. The partnership between TikTok Shop and the Taguig LGU is more than a launch event: it’s an operational link in the chain connecting training, technology, finance and market access.
The success of this pilot could well become a blueprint for other cities seeking to empower MSMEs through digital-commerce tools while maintaining the human-centred, inclusive approach that local economies deserve.
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