DTI Business Counselors to use GJobs to help MSMEs streamline recruitment and strengthen employer credibility

(L-R) GCash wealth management customer success partnerships manager Joseph “Chippy” Dimayuga, PasaJob chief marketing officer Melissa Anne Balcameda, and (bottom) DTI trade-industry development specialist Niambi Denise Giray during the DTI MSME webinar

 To address long-standing hiring challenges faced by micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), through its Negosyo Centers, has onboarded its Business Counselors to GJobs—the job hunting and job referral platform powered by PasaJob within the GCash app. The move is part of DTI's broader push to harness technology in upskilling and elevating MSMEs. The platform provides small businesses with a low-cost, accessible way to recruit talent, formalize hiring practices, and establish employer credibility, even without a dedicated HR team or system.

Micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) comprise 99.63% of all registered businesses in the Philippines and account for over 66.97% of total employment, according to 2023 data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). However, a 2025 study by Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and the DTI reports that only 13% of MSMEs plan to hire additional staff, with limited access to qualified talent and operational constraints among the top barriers. Many still rely on informal referrals or walk-ins, despite the rising complexity of digital and compliance requirements.

Business counselors, serving as frontline advisors, play a vital role in helping MSMEs navigate tools like GJobs and align staffing decisions with long-term growth goals. By enabling small enterprises to build more resilient teams, GJobs helps close long-standing productivity gaps and supports the competitiveness of the sector that employs the majority of the Filipino workforce.

“We recognize that hiring remains one of the most persistent pain points for small businesses. We want small business owners to be aware and take advantage of inclusive small business solutions such as GJobs,” said DTI regional operations group assistant secretary Grace Baluyan.

In its recent webinar, titled "Leveraging GJobs for MSME Recruitment and Strengthening Financial Literacy of Negosyo Center Business Counselors," the DTI strongly recommended that MSMEs leverage innovative talent recruitment solutions, such as GJobs, to help streamline hiring, formalize recruitment practices, and improve access to qualified candidates—all without the overhead cost of traditional methods.

GJobs, an in-app feature within the GCash platform, was developed in partnership with PasaJob to help small business employers access a pool of 2.4 million verified users. Designed to support hiring without functioning as a traditional job hunting and job referral platform, GJobs leverages incentive-based referrals through personal networks and operates on a pay-per-hire model—costs are incurred only when a successful hire is made.

This presents a cost-efficient advantage for MSMEs working with lean budgets. Early data show that job hiring timelines have been cut from 42 days to just 29, underscoring their impact on hiring efficiency and employer credibility.

“MSMEs need tools that match their realities. GJobs gives them reach, control, and affordability without requiring large HR investments,” said GCash VP and head of product innovation Leonardo Ferdinand Byron Perez.

By introducing inclusive job-hunting and job referral platforms like GJobs powered by PasaJob, DTI continues to advance efforts that level the playing field for small businesses—empowering MSMEs to thrive in the digital economy without compromising operational sustainability.

For more information, visit www.gcash.com.

DTI, GCash for Business fuel MSME growth with smart, easy digital financial tools

 

(L-R) DTI bureau of small and medium enterprise development director Emma Asusano, undersecretary Blesila Lantayona with GCash for business general manager Jong Layug, and vice president and head of public sector Cleo Celeste Santos.

In celebration of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) month, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and GCash for Business announced their partnership to support the growth of the country’s economic backbone through simple and scalable digital financial tools. 

GCash for business general manager Jong Layug and DTI undersecretary Blesila A. Lantayona formalized the collaboration in a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signing ceremony during the MSME Bayanihan Caravan 2025 event.

By joining forces with DTI, the Philippines’ leading finance super app aims to make payment and business solutions, such as GCash SoundPay, more accessible through their to-be-launched GCash for Business Portal, allowing MSMEs in rural and underserved areas to process transactions seamlessly. The DTI will play a key role in assisting MSMEs through its regional and provincial offices, as well as over 1,100 DTI Negosyo Centers, helping businesses innovate their operations. 

“Through this partnership, we will introduce tailored digital business tools that meet the needs of the millions of Filipino MSMEs. Because when MSMEs progress, livelihoods improve, and the whole nation moves forward,” Layug said. 

Layug said GCash for Business seeks to empower MSMEs by transforming payment tools that many consider "not for them" into accessible, easy-to-use solutions. "While there are numerous options in the market and we know our MSMEs are resourceful and 'madiskarte,' many existing solutions can feel intimidating, expensive, and simply don’t fit where these businesses are in their journey," the GCash official stressed. 

This initiative is also in line with DTI’s three key priorities: digitalization, inclusive growth, and global competitiveness. “This isn’t just about technology—it’s also about enabling resilience, providing livelihoods, opening doors for aspiring entrepreneurs in every corner of the country, and creating a future where more Filipino businesses can succeed in a digital economy,” said Lantayona, speaking on behalf of DTI secretary Cristina Roque. 

In addition to the MOU signing, GCash for Business shared its financial expertise at the trade caravan, offering valuable insights on digital payments and lending to guide digitalization efforts and support business expansion.

Merchants will find it easy and simple to make their first step towards digital transformation with a new and simplified self-onboarding process through the GCash for Business Portal. They can make unlimited transfers to merchant partners and banks, track transactions in real time — all for free, all from a single platform. Complementing this is a new payment solution designed to make the processing of customer payments easier and more convenient. With the SoundPay device, merchants can now hear it when a customer pays in their store, providing them with verification that the payment has been accepted in real time. Merchants can also watch out for a soon-to-launch solution that turns the merchants’ phones into a POS machine capable of accepting credit card payments anytime, anywhere.

Through the GCash for Business Portal, merchants can choose their business plan and select their payment device, giving them flexibility as they pursue this digital journey. In the portal, merchants can track transactions in real-time, with no wallet limits (for Pro plan) and no fees! Soon, with just a fully-verified GCash account (minimum 12 months), they can already register and start using GCash for Business solutions.

“This is financial inclusion in action—giving every MSME, no matter how small or remote, a real chance to participate in and benefit from the digital economy,” said Layug. 

The digital toolset stands to benefit over 1.2 million MSMEs in the Philippines, with most of them engaged in retail and restaurant businesses that require a reliable digital platform for managing payments and transactions. 

However, digital adoption remains low, with only 16% of Filipino MSMEs embracing these tools, according to a Boston Consulting Group study. On a more positive note, the study also reveals that 77% of MSMEs recognize the need for these digital solutions to improve efficiency. Recognizing this gap, GCash for Business is here to support MSMEs in their digital transformation in an easy and simple way. Discover solutions and sign up today at https://new.gcash.com/business/msme#inquire-now.