The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), in partnership with key industry groups, is rolling out a strategic jobs blueprint aimed at boosting the long-term competitiveness of the country’s wholesale and retail trade sector.
The “Section G: Job Blueprint for Wholesale and Retail Trade,” developed with the Philippine Retailers Association (PRA), the Supply Chain Management Association of the Philippines (SCMAP), and DTI’s Supply Chain and Logistics Group (SCLG), will be launched today, June 16.
The blueprint outlines measures to improve employment outcomes and address structural challenges in a sector that employs over 10 million Filipinos and contributes P4.9 trillion—or 18 percent—to the country’s GDP.
Trade Secretary Cristina Roque described the sector as a “pillar of the economy,” noting that it accounts for more than one in five jobs in the country. She also cited DTI data showing that of the 1.06 million business name registrations in 2024, over 579,000—or more than half—were in wholesale and retail.
A study commissioned by the SCLG last year to support the blueprint identified key pain points: wholesalers are constrained by limited local sourcing options, high logistics costs, and poor infrastructure. Retailers, meanwhile, are under pressure from eroding consumer purchasing power and growing e-commerce competition.
DTI said the blueprint was the result of nationwide consultations, including stakeholder dialogues, surveys, focus group discussions, and inputs from the 2024 Wholesale and Retail Trade Forum.
The strategy focuses on creating quality jobs, improving supply chain efficiency, and harnessing digital tools to help businesses adapt to shifting market dynamics.
A two-day job fair, held alongside the launch, will run from June 16 to 17 at the 4th Floor, Cyberzone, SM North EDSA Annex.
