The Power of Partnership

USAID and partners connect women to the digital economy in the Philippines

Filipina entrepreneur Mary Grace Belviz poses with a cacao tree at her family farm. / Courtesy of Mary Grace Belviz

With rich, volcanic soil and a tropical climate, Davao City on the southern Philippine island of Mindanao is famous for its fresh durian fruit and world-class chocolate. Local farms growing an array of tropical fruits and other local delicacies dot the verdant hills around the city.

Twenty years ago, Filipina entrepreneur Mary Grace Belviz started her small business, Rosario’s Delicacies, using products from her family’s farm in Davao to produce durian candy, jam, and artisanal chocolate. With a small store in Davao, vendors in the airport, and gift shops around the city, Mary Grace’s business thrived on tourists seeking the region’s famous chocolate and durian products. But when the COVID-19 pandemic hit the Philippines in March 2020, tourist activities ground to a halt, and so did Mary Grace’s sales.

“Because there were no tourists, we could not sell our products,” Mary Grace remembered.

Left: Mary Grace Belviz begins processing cacao from her family farm. Center: Mary Grace poses with freshly made cacao products. Right: Rosario’s Delicacies sells an array of cacao products, including tableya, pure roasted cacao beans molded into tablets and mixed with hot milk or water to make a traditional Filipino chocolate drink. / Courtesy of Mary Grace Belviz

During the first few months of the pandemic, 91% of small businesses in the Philippines reported a decline in sales, and only 22% remained in full operation. Many consumers moved to online shopping.

To help small business owners like Mary Grace overcome this challenge, USAID worked with the Philippine Department of Trade and Industry, National Confederation of Cooperatives, and major e-commerce marketplaces in the Philippines to train women entrepreneurs to run successful digital enterprises. Mary Grace and more than 400 other women across the country learned how to apply digital marketing techniques and tools, incorporate online payments, and use popular e-commerce platforms. Participants were also connected to mentors, who helped them in their journey to digital business expansion.

“I was interested in the digital marketing training because it is a new ground for us,” said Mary Grace. “In the past, we were not motivated to open online stores. But now, I know it’s a very important platform.”

After attending the training, Mary Grace intensified her business’s online presence through various e-commerce websites. Now, she not only has regained her pre-pandemic local sales, but also started selling her products nationally and even internationally.

“In one month, we were able to sign up distributors in the USA, Canada, and Australia. Sales are booming,” she said.

Davao City is known as the “Durian Capital of the Philippines.” Rosario’s Delicacies sells durian products such as jam and candy. / Courtesy of Mary Grace Belviz

Thanks to this partnership, Mary Grace and nearly 350 other women opened online stores during the COVID-19 pandemic. Collectively, these online stores generated more than $750,000 (Php 36 million) in just six months — income that Mary Grace and other entrepreneurs would have missed out on without this assistance.

Entrepreneur Hayreen Ecura, who also attended USAID’s digital marketing training, more than doubled her pre-pandemic income after applying the principles she learned in the training.

“The training was instrumental in increasing our sales. I learned how to put my products on the Shopee and Lazada e-commerce platforms, which had affordable shipping rates and made my products accessible nationwide,” Hayreen said. “I also invested in food photography, shifted to a classier eco-friendly packaging, and used Facebook and Instagram to market my products.”

Hayreen said having mentors in the training played a big role in her success. “It made me feel that I wasn’t alone on the journey. They encouraged me and gave me good advice,” she said.

Filipina entrepreneur Hayreen Ecura poses at her business, Ecura’s Delicacies, in Aurora Province, Philippines. / Courtesy of Hayreen Ecura

The digital marketing training for women entrepreneurs was just one of USAID’s many initiatives to help the Philippines promote inclusive economic growth, respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, and prepare for a digital future through its E-PESO project.

Through this project, USAID worked with the central bank of the Philippines to establish a digital payment system, which helped increase e-payment usage from 1% in 2015 to 14% in 2019. Digital payments have continued to surge since the COVID-19 pandemic, enabling businesses to pay suppliers and sell goods and services to customers via e-commerce. Both Mary Grace and Hayreen are now taking advantage of a wider range of digital payments to support their businesses.

“Digital payments are more convenient, easier, and safer because they are contactless,” Hayreen said.

In February, USAID handed over the digital marketing training materials to the Philippine Department of Trade and Industry and National Confederation of Cooperatives, which will continue implementing this program to rebuild the Philippine economy and promote financial inclusion.

“Through our combined efforts, we will empower our women entrepreneurs in carving out a space for themselves in the digital market, even as we level the playing field,” said Philippine Department of Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez.

This partnership has both increased financial inclusion and made a lasting impact on women entrepreneurs like Hayreen and Mary Grace.

“I really thank USAID for helping small and medium enterprises like us as we go through this pandemic,” Mary Grace said. “The training has been really helpful for us in reaching our business goals.”

About the Author

Christina Butler is a Development Outreach and Communications Writer at USAID’s Mission in the Philippines.