He said there are already around 20 local brands that have set up their presence overseas.
While there are local brands looking to do business beyond the Philippines, he said it is difficult to set a timeline as there are challenges in setting up operations overseas.
Joey Garcia, chair of Franchise Asia Philippines 2024, said bringing brands overseas through franchising is different from expanding locally.
When expanding overseas, he said it is ideal for brands to have a master licensee in the new market. “But it’s very difficult to find the right master licensee or master franchisee. That’s the biggest challenge that we face,” he said.
He said brands need to know the dynamics of the market they want to enter.
While the PFA is encouraging Filipino brands to expand not just within the country but also overseas, Sherill Quintana, who serves as chair of the Council of Past Presidents and director for membership of the PFA, said brands in the franchising sector will need government support.
Lim said the Department of Trade and Industry has been assisting in terms of promoting the sector, but the franchise industry would still need financial support to participate in trade shows.
“Financial is what’s lacking. I think at the end of the day, we need financial support to join all these shows because it is costly (to participate in) these shows and some of our brands cannot afford it yet,” he said.
He said foreig...