CAGAYAN — The DTI R2, in partnership with the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship (PCE) Go Negosyo, officially launched today the 7th batch of the Kapatid Mentor ME-Money Market Encounter (KMME-MME) Program, composed of 50 mentees, the majority from the tourism and hospitality sectors. This is also the first batch of mentees from other regions to launch this year.
The launching and orientation ceremony was attended by the top officials from DTI Regional Operations Group, PCE Senior Advisers and Program Managers, officers and staff of DTI R2, including the Provincial Directors, SMEDD and BDD Chiefs, the Regional and Provincial Program Coordinators, Negosyo Center Business Counselors, and select mentees from the region.
In his remarks, DTI R2 Assistant Regional Director Winston Singun emphasized the significance of mentoring and how the KMME has contributed to expanding businesses and increasing revenues. He also urged the mentees to complete the sessions and utilize the learnings for the growth of their businesses.
Moreover, DTI ROG Usec. Blesila Lantayona shared how the KMME, as one of the free and comprehensive programs for MSMEs, has become a brand for producing “iskolar ng bayan,” or the elite graduates of the program. She added that the mentees’ investment is their attendance and persistent effort to finish the modules.
On the other hand, Engr. Merly Cruz, PCE Advisor on MSME Development, outlined in detail the milestones of KMME and the benefits and opportunities of enrolling in the program.
During the session, the overview of “Go Negosyo,” the KMME briefer, and the implementation plan were comprehensively discussed by Mr. P.A. De Guzman of PCE-Go Negosyo. The mentees also gave their respective self-introductions and expectations for the program and elected their leader and note-taker per group for the entire session.
As the tourism industry has been one of the hardest hit sectors during the onset of the pandemic, DTI R2 Cagayan Provincial Director Henry Conel Jr. expressed the goal of the KMME to help MSMEs gradually recover and the agency’s commitment to handhold them even after they finish the sessions.
To graduate from the program, every mentee must be able to come up with a business improvement plan with the help of coaches to be deployed by PCE-Go Negosyo.
Date of release: 07 March 2023
