NORTHERN MINDANAO — Fifty-eight micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Region 10 begin their mentorship program under the Kapatid Mentor Me (KMME) program of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Region 10 and in partnership with the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship (PCE)-Go Negosyo.
KMME is a 10-module mentorship program that optimizes weekly face-to-face interactions between mentors and mentees. Its key goal is to boost entrepreneurial capacity through improved access to Mentorship, Money, and Market.
With COVID-19 upending lives and businesses, a digitalized version of KMME was developed as a more practical method of delivering the same mentorship modules to MSMEs.
The 58 MSMEs were officially introduced as the new mentees of the 14th batch of the KMME-MME program during the 2023 KMME-MME Online Program Launch and Orientation on March 14, 2023.
Twelve of the MSMEs were from Bukidnon, 9 from Camiguin, 12 from Lanao del Norte, 12 from Misamis Occidental, and 13 from Misamis Oriental.
The mentorship program targets mentees to be able to access credit from banks and other financing providers and to enable them to adopt innovative strategies.
DTI Regional Operations Group Blesila A. Lantayona describes the KMME program as the most comprehensive program that MSMEs have today.
“Since its launching, ang programang Kapatid Mentor Me ay napatunanayang napaka-epektibo sa pagpapataas ng antas ng entrepreneurship sa bansa. Maraming negosyo ang natulongang lumago.” Usec. Lantayona said.
Usec. Lantayona additionally mentioned DTI’s continuous support to the mentees even after they graduate from the KMME Program.
“Andito pa rin ang DTI atsaka ang PCE-Go Negosyo para tumulong sa inyo. Sa part ng DTI, we continue to support you via our other programs like One Town, One Product; Shared Services Facility; SME Roving Academy para po sa mga training access; financing access via SB Corporation, which is an attached agency of DTI; and attendance to trade fairs and other marketing events. And of course, the Negosyo Centers in the region will be your first-stop, one-stop shop in accessing the DTI programs in the region or in your provinces.”
On the other hand, DTI-10 Regional Director Ermedio J. Abang expressed his gratitude to the mentees for their enthusiasm in joining the program.
“We hope that you will remain committed through the program. We are excited to be with you in your venture to future success.” RD Abang said.♦
Date of Release: 16 March 2023