Shopee Launches Shopee Thursdays with the Department of Trade and Industry to Help MSMEs Thrive in the E-commerce Space

Tweet

As e-commerce takes on greater importance for both consumers and sellers, Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, partners with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to offer in-depth discussions about online selling to support the growth of online businesses through Shopee Thursdays. These masterclass sessions aim to equip existing and aspiring online entrepreneurs with the right tools and information on how to use data to operate effectively in the e-commerce space.

E-commerce is considered a crucial part of the global retail framework. When the pandemic hit, its role became even more critical as physical businesses closed and people were encouraged to stay at home for safety reasons. With the implementation of lockdown measures, more than 65 percent of business establishments had to close temporarily, and only 29 percent of enterprises remained open with limited operations. This led to people turning to online platforms to shop for their needs and entrepreneurs to shift to digital platforms to sustain their businesses

Martin Yu, Director at Shopee Philippines, said, “Shopee is excited to partner with the Department of Trade and Industry to equip MSMEs with proper knowledge and skills to thrive in the e-commerce space through Shopee Thursdays. As many entrepreneurs transition to online platforms like Shopee, it is important that they learn the basics of online selling and to maximize the e-commerce space to its full potential. We will continue to collaborate with DTI to support MSMEs in their e-commerce journey to success.”

Jean Pacheco, Assistant Secretary at the Department of Trade and Industry, said, “At DTI, we believe that every business is essential for the Philippine economy to prosper, and that is why it is our goal to support them in any way possible. With leading marketplace platforms like Shopee, we can reach more people who want to expand their business and learn more about e-commerce. It is an honor for us to work with a company that prioritizes the local community and we will keep on partnering with organizations like Shopee, to uplift Filipino entrepreneurs.”

Sellers can learn essential tips on how they can expand their businesses on Shopee in the upcoming sessions. On June 17, entrepreneurs will understand and learn how to better manage shop operations, inventory, warehouse processes, and employees. On June 24, the masterclass session will focus on the potential of data and how entrepreneurs can use it to improve their shop’s performance.

For more information about the topics and to register for Shopee Thursdays, visit https://ecommerce.dti.gov.ph/shopee-thursdays-grow-your-business-online/.

Shop, load, and pay bills with ShopeePay. Download the Shopee app for free via the App Store or Google Play.

Filipino Design Thinking: Why the Philippines Pavilion is the Story of the Filipino

Tweet

Bangkota, the Philippines Pavilion at the 2020 Expo in Dubai is more than just an architectural masterpiece showcasing the Philippines. Woven within its undulating and free-flowing form is the 4,000-year journey and history of the Filipino people. 

Designed by visionary architect Royal Pineda, the “Bangkóta is a living coral reef, pulsating with people, movement, activities, flora and water features, all functioning as one global ecosystem.” Measuring a total outdoor area of 1,268 square meters and 385 square meters of winding path, with a total landscaped area of 676 meters that includes water features, the Bangkota is surrounded by a see-through and free-form wire mesh that exoskeleton that shelters visitors from morning and afternoon sun. 

Tapping into his own design philosophy of ‘Nature is Peace’, Royal took inspiration from the fact that coral reefs spread and thrive across the oceans, just as how Filipinos thrive across the world. This makes the Bangkota a transcendent architectural masterwork as it is as much about Filipinos as it is about the Philippines. 

The Philippines Pavilion is both an indoor and outdoor experience, with the undulating external structure acts as a protective, fertile habitat to the hidden treasures within. It thus becomes a venue to appreciate nature and its light and shadows, depth and expanse, widths and heights, breeze and humidity, warm and comfort, and the feel of raw and refined. 

At its core, the Philippines Pavilion is a monument to the creativity and compassion of the Filipino, as well as their unique bayanihan spirit. Further, Architect Pineda sees the Bangkota as an exploration of the Filipinos’ history that spans well before 1521, when Spanish colonizers first arrived in the Philippines, with famed curator Marian Roces responsible for piecing together the Filipinos’ millennia-long story, to ensure that the exhibits within the pavilion are based on solid historical and cultural facts. 

Inside, visitors play an active role in creating the narrative sequence by being given freedom to roam the pavilion’s spaces and exhibits. The interior spaces are designed to elicit both thought and action, offering varying levels of immersive experiences through art and film installations. Each visitor thus becomes part of the story, where digital interactive art forms cinematically surround the viewer. 

In the same vein, the Bangkota is a celebration of the Filipino creativity. This is the reason why an entire network of collaborators such as National Artist for Music Ramon Santos, visual maverick Avid Liongoren, and 11 of the Philippines’ prominent artists have been called upon to contribute their own interpretation of the Bangkota’s overarching theme of permeability, connectivity, and sustainability. With artists, designers, and creators lending their skills and talents, the Bangkota is truly a product of the bayanihan spirit and a genuine example of design thinking that Filipinos can call their own. 

The Bangkota will open in Dubai on October 20, 2020.