SAN FERNANDO CITY – The Department of Trade and Industry Regional Office 3 has virtually launched the first batch of this year’s Kapatid Mentor Me – Money Market Encounter (KMME-MME) program on May 16.

A total of 48 mentees qualified for this batch with 7 mentees each coming from Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac, and Zambales while Aurora has 6 mentees. The program will be conducted online over the period of three months.

The mentees, coming from different sectors, will undergo 10 online modules, coaching sessions, and will present their business improvement plans as their final presentation. Experts from the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship (PCE), outstanding representatives from the government, banking and financial sector and online market platforms will serve as mentors and panel for the entire course.  

PCE-Go Negosyo Mentor-Coordinator Armando “Butz” Bartolome gave a special message during the launching. He congratulated the new mentees and advised them to persevere and focus on the modules and activities. “Push on as mentees and when you become mentors, please don’t forget to also help others,” he added.   

The KMME program aims to empower MSMEs (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises) through mentorship and e-learning sessions. The sessions allow mentees to learn strategies on marketing, financial, human resources, and operations management, among others. With it, MSMEs are continuously kept abreast of innovative information, skills, and knowledge needed to scale up their enterprise.

In her message, DTI Undersecretary Blesila A. Lantayona said that a graduate of KMME-MME program will surely benefit not only from the technical modules provided by the mentors but also from the vast network of enablers coming from the government sector.

For her part, DTI-3 OIC Regional Director Brigida T. Pili welcomed the participants and mentors through Zoom. “Upon completion of this online business course, you will become agents of change yourselves which will help bring to our country positive economic transformations,” she said.

On August, the second batch of KMME mentees will undergo the same rudiments of the program. ♦

Date of release: May 17, 2023