27 September 2022, Philippines – Packworks, a local startup that provides a business-to-business (B2B) open platform to sari-sari stores, announces the addition of former Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon M. Lopez and three other industry leaders to its Board of Advisors.
Joining ex-DTI chief Lopez to the pack are Angkas Founder Angeline Tham, ZQR Corp. founder and CEO Simon Paterno, who is also a former President and CEO of the Development Bank of the Philippines, and former Executive Vice President of the Bank of the Philippine Islands, and Integrated Microelectronics, Inc. CEO and Vice Chairman Arthur Tan, who is also President and Chief Executive Office of AC Industrial at Ayala – View.
Lopez, who chaired DTI institutions such as the Board of Investments, the Philippine Economic Zone Authority, the Export Development Council, Anti-Red Tape Authority Advisory Council, Philippine International Trading Corp., CITEM, and the Halal Board, will draw on experience in the trade sector to further push his advocacy to support micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) that provide development and ease of doing business to the retailers.
“It is my intention, after my stint at the DTI, to pursue my advocacy on MSME development through technology and innovation, to take their business to the next level, and improve their efficiencies,” Lopez noted.
“I believe digitalization of MSMEs is a great equalizer, bringing prosperity for all. Packworks is a great business and model aligned with this advocacy. It is a changemaker, improving the lives of others. The success in scaling up the community of MSMEs through digitalization is the success of Packworks. It is an honor to be a part of Packworks, a business with a purpose,” Lopez added.
Packworks’ Sari Superstore App provides a free one-stop app for “sari-preneurs” where they can process their business’ inventory, bookkeeping, and data collection. The app also offers delivery services for store owners when their supply is low.
“The inclusion of these distinguished leaders in the industry will greatly help us in achieving our goals to provide an open platform not only to our million sari-sari store owners in the country, but also to other huge brand companies. Digital inclusion will help these ‘sari-preneurs’ to accelerate their game in the retail industry,” said Ibba Bernardo, Co-Founder and Chief Marketing Officer of Packworks.
Packworks announced last August that it raised US$2 million in seed round. The funding will be used to improve their platform for sari-sari stores, enable the value chain, and empower all stakeholders within the sari-sari ecosystem.
About Packworks
Packworks is a startup company that provides a business-to-business (B2B) platform that is easy to use, has low bandwidth, and light footprint that will allow sari-sari store owners to become more efficient in managing their business. Founded in 2018 and started as a solution for multinational companies in the Philippines to connect with neighborhood stores, the platform has now transformed into a way out of poverty for the millions of sari-sari store owners across the Philippines. Packworks empowers the sari-sari stores through scalable and accessible technology, with its team composed of dedicated developers, programmers, and technicians that work to put the power back into the hands of the people at the heart of Filipino communities by providing them digital opportunities previously only available to big companies. By bringing technology-based solutions to one million Filipino sari-sari stores, Packworks is driving toward a more progressive, connected, and inclusive Philippines.
