Koronadal City, South Cotabato – The Department of Trade and Industry 12 (DTI-12) hosted its second session on the Online Government Forum for batch 2 of the 2022 Kapatid Mentor Micro Enterprises – Money Market Encounter (KMME-MME) on 18 August 2022.
A total of 50 micro and small entrepreneurs (MSMEs) enrolled in the 2nd run of the KMME-MME Online attended the forum via a virtual conferencing platform to learn more about the programs and services of different government agencies available for budding and existing businesses.
Flora Politud-Gabunales, OIC-regional director of DTI-12, welcomed the mentees and stressed the importance of knowing the programs and services of the different government agencies as these are significant in shaping their business operations.
“The lack of awareness of what the government has to offer in terms of programs and services is a major stumbling block in hurdling the challenges of growing your business,” said Politud-Gabunales.
The event was graced by DTI Regional Operations Group (ROG) Undersecretary Blesila A. Lantayona who delivered an inspirational message to the participants and congratulated them for attending the last online session before they will be preparing their business improvement plans (BIPs) which they will be presenting to the panel of experts for them to be declared graduates of the KMME-MME Program.
There were six agencies namely, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Department of Agriculture (DA), Technological Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Small Business Corporation (SBCorp), participated in the forum.
Among the programs presented were the SETUP and Laboratory services of DOST; credit and financing programs of DA and SB Corporation; skills training and scholarships for MSMEs of TESDA; FDA-LTO registration regulated by FDA; and livelihood and productivity trainings of DOLE. In addition, OIC-Director Emma Asusano of the Bureau of Small and Medium Enterprise Development presented other programs of DTI that MSMEs can still avail.
Mentees will undergo a two-week coaching session with their assigned mentors deployed by the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship (Go Negosyo). This is to prepare them for their BIP presentation on 14 – 15 September 2022.
The KMME-MME Online Government Forum is an innovation incorporated as a regular part of the Kapatid Mentor Micro Enterprise Program since 2020 when the pandemic struck the country. The program aims to acquaint the mentees with the different services and programs that they can avail from partner government agencies.
A total of 497 MSMEs in Region 12 have graduated from the KMME since the program was launched by DTI together with the PCE (Go Negosyo). ♦
Date of Release: 30 August 2022