Lalamove, the leading on-demand delivery platform, has announced the findings from its latest SME survey, which revealed that Filipino small and medium enterprises (SMEs) remain cautious despite having an optimistic outlook for the Philippines’ business landscape.
About 61% of Filipino SMEs said they have a cautious but optimistic outlook in 2026 on the country’s business landscape compared to this year, while 22% said their outlook is unchanged and uncertain. But still, 31% of the respondents are looking forward to business prospects in 2026.
While the survey highlights optimism from the SME respondents, they remain careful in their business decisions because of several persistent challenges.
Conducted between September and October with about 500 respondents, mostly MSMEs, the survey also found that 83% expect interest rate hikes and inflation to be a blocker to their business growth over the next 12 months. Additionally, 82% respondents said low consumer spending or fluctuations on customer demand, while 72% said high logistics costs might be another blocker for their business in 2026.These reasons reflect business owners’ natural concern on how these uncertainties affect their profitability.
“At Lalamove, we value the insights of the many businesses we serve. Our survey underscores both their optimism and their concerns about the business landscape in the coming months, giving us a clearer understanding of their needs. We remain focused on helping them manage costs and become more flexible through affordable and efficient on-demand logistics solutions,” said Djon Nacario, Managing Director of Lalamove Philippines.
Filipino SMEs Gear Up for the Holiday Rush
As the year draws to a close, many Filipino SMEs are gearing up for the holiday season. According to the survey, 60% of respondents said they are increasing and stocking up on inventory, while 37% are preparing to adjust their delivery timelines as early as September, when the survey was done, reflecting optimism on a normal high demand for Christmas despite recent calamities and political concerns that may affect the festivities.
Additionally, 67% still believe customers will look forward to preparing for usual festivity preparations as the top business strategy still remains to launch holiday marketing and advertising campaigns in preparation for the Christmas season, despite the current state of the country in recent months.
On-demand delivery services are the top resources helpful for Filipino SMEs
Since year-end preparations are pivotal for business owners, many SMEs are strategically adjusting to the current business landscape to ensure continued growth and stability.
About 72% of SMEs said logistics or on-demand delivery services are among the most important resources for their operations. Meanwhile, affordable pricing ranked as the top consideration when choosing a delivery service, followed by speed and safe delivery.
Since Lalamove is known as the most affordable on-demand delivery platform, especially for businesses, it must adapt to the growing needs of its customers. That’s why it has also recently improved its trustworthiness through the launch of a facial recognition feature for drivers and upgraded its default insurance coverage for package loss and damage to up to P20,000.
As SMEs continue to adapt and innovate, on-demand delivery platforms like Lalamove play a crucial role in empowering them to remain efficient, resilient, and well-supported as they enter the new year.
