The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is directing its business counselors to use GJobs, a recruitment platform within the GCash app, to help micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) streamline their hiring processes and strengthen employer credibility.
The initiative, part of DTI’s push to use technology to upskill small businesses, aims to tackle persistent hiring challenges faced by MSMEs. The platform, powered by PasaJob, provides a low-cost, accessible way for these businesses to recruit talent and formalize hiring practices, even without a dedicated human resources department.
MSMEs account for 99.63 percent of all registered businesses in the Philippines and employ 66.97 percent of the total workforce, according to 2023 data from the Philippine Statistics Authority. However, a 2025 study by the Boston Consulting Group and the DTI found that only 13 percent of MSMEs plan to hire more staff, citing limited access to qualified talent and operational constraints as key barriers.
“We recognize that hiring remains one of the most persistent pain points for small businesses,” DTI regional operations group assistant secretary Grace Baluyan said.
“We want small business owners to be aware and take advantage of inclusive small business solutions such as Gjobs,” said Baluyan.
GJobs operates on a pay-per-hire model, meaning costs are only incurred when a successful hire is made. It uses incentive-based referrals through personal networks and gives employers access to 2.4 million verified users on the GCash platform. Early data show that the platform has cut the average hiring timeline from 42 days to 29 days.
“MSMEs need tools that match their realities,” said Leonardo Ferdinand Byron Perez, GCash vice president and head of product innovation.
“GJobs gives them reach, control, and affordability without requiring large HR investments,” said Perez.
DTI’s business counselors will serve as frontline advisors, helping MSMEs use tools like GJobs to build more resilient teams, which the department says will help close productivity gaps and boost the competitiveness of the sector.
