Digital approach accelerates Parañaque’s growth

To further promote business consciousness and encourage more of the local population to enter business, Parañaque City is actively expanding its support for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) by shifting away from basic subsidies toward multisectoral partnerships, digitized operations, and direct access to capital. Under the administration of Mayor Edwin Olivarez, the local government has integrated national agency resources with private-sector tech to future-proof localized businesses.

Development projects spearheaded by brothers Edwin and Eric Olivarez in Parañaque City focus heavily on infrastructure, education, public health, and localized government service, with major emphasis on a coastal economic zone.

1. Government Decentralization Office: To centralize city services and ease congestion at the main hall, they initiated the construction of a 15-story, multi-tower satellite complex, valued at P4 billion, in Entertainment City (along Coastal Road/Cavitex) via a public-private partnership.

2. Education & Skills Development

a) City College & Satellite Campuses: Continuing a long-term goal of building public elementary and high school buildings in all 16 barangays, a key highlight is the construction of a new multi-story building for the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) Parañaque Campus in Barangay Santo Niño.

b) Moonwalk Senior High School: The administration also facilitated the opening of specialized Tech-Voc facilities (focusing on the hotel and hospitality concept) for senior high school.

3. Public Health

Ospital ng Parañaque (OsPar): Both leaders oversaw the establishment and continued funding for the two district hospitals in the city. Continuous improvements include equipping OsPar District I and District II (Barangay Don Bosco) with updated medical technology.

4. Public Infrastructure & Sports

a) Parañaque Coliseum: Located near Parañaque City College at Cavitex and Victor Medina Street. The multimillion-peso coliseum is designed to serve as a central hub for sports and events.

b) Baclaran Multi-Purpose Building: A two-story structure featuring a multi-purpose hall and an indoor public gymnasium.

The city’s current MSES strategy is driven by several key initiatives:

1. Digital Transformation and Tech Upskilling: The city has heavily prioritized transitioning traditional storefronts into digital businesses.

a) MSME Day Intervention: In partnership with PLDT Enterprises, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), the city hosts specialized training workshops.

b) Core Literacy: Entrepreneurs receive hands-on training in artificial intelligence operations, cashless transaction systems, and digital marketing to scale online marketplaces safely.

Parañaque has streamlined access to zero-collateral financing through aggressive local roadshows.

1. On-the-Spot Approval: Working alongside the Small Business (SBCorp), the city hosts localized financing programs directly inside City Hall.

2. Financing Terms: Local businesses can tap into competitive national funds, which feature zero-collateral criteria and extended principal grace periods to offset cash flow challenges.

The “Startup Paranaque” Ecosystem

The city is actively pushing beyond traditional retail into technological-driven industries.

1. Multisectoral Policy: The local government allied with the Department of Science and Technology (DoST-NCR) and SCALE NCR to build formal policy frameworks aimed at encouraging tech-based entrepreneurship.

2. Seed Funding & Mapping: This institutional framework helps local innovators leverage regional ecosystem data to secure social capital and launch commercial tech ventures within the city.

Email: arturobesana2@gmail.com