Franchising industry seeks more government support

MANILA, Philippines — The country’s franchising industry needs more government support, particularly funding, to help the sector participate in more international franchise shows and help expand the exposure of Philippine brands in the global market, according to Philippine Franchise Association (PFA) president Chris Lim. 

“In the coming years we want to join a lot of these franchise shows internationally and bring our delegations there. That’s probably one government support we need,” Lim said.

As an example, he said South Korea, Indonesia, and Thailand bring in delegations to international shows that are heavily subsidized by their respective governments.  

“A lot of that is heavily government subsidized, which makes it easier for a micro, small and medium enterprise to enter the shows because it’s expensive to join international shows,” he said.

The PFA official, however, acknowledged that the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has always been supportive of the franchising industry, noting that they are always in contact with their various consuls when they are in overseas markets.  

“I think the missing piece is funding because connections can only take you so far, but at the end of the day, sometimes you just need plain and simple funding to be able to attend some of these shows and to really make an impact,” Lim said.

In line with further growing the country’s franchise industry, the PFA has been encouraging more Filipino brands to go international.

The PFA said earlier that it aims to double the number of Philippine franchise brands that have expanded globally to 50.

Aligned with this goal, the PFA is set to host the twin meetings of the Asia-Pacific Franchise Confederation (APFC) and the World Franchise Council (WFC) from October 25 to 27.

“The Philippines’ local franchise community will benefit immensely from the vast knowledge and best practices that will be shared by international franchise delegates. This exchange will empower our franchising leaders with the tools and insights needed to thrive in the global market,” the PFA said.

It added that the influx of international franchise associations will be a good opportunity to show to the world the dynamism of the Philippine franchise sector, especially because the twin meetings will coincide with PFA’s Franchise Asia Philippines Expo 2023.

The said expo will occupy the entire SMX Convention Center-Manila and will showcase 1,000 brands, making this year’s event the largest franchise event in the world.

“Aside from showcasing the Philippines as a franchise investment destination, this will also be an excellent opportunity for Philippine franchises that want to expand their global footprint to connect with the franchise experts and association leaders from all over the globe,” the PFA said.

It noted that the hosting of the twin meetings will allow selected local franchise businesses, entrepreneurs, and different government agencies to have access to a global network of potential partners, investors, and mentors.

“This is a golden opportunity for Philippine entrepreneurs to expand their horizons and explore international partnerships,” the PFA said.