DAVAO CITY — The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Davao Region takes pride of the 232 graduates under its Kapatid Mentor ME (KMME) program, which started last October 7, 2016. The program is an initiative of DTI to develop more successful micro-entrepreneurs.
DTI recorded 20 graduates in 2016 and 212 this year. The 2016 MSME graduates were from Davao City. For 2017, 42 were from Davao City, 44 from Davao del Sur, 19 from Davao Occidental, 40 from Davao del Norte, 20 from Compostela Valley and 47 from Davao Oriental.
The 10-week program of the KMME had weekly modules on marketing, financial management, human resource management, and operations management, among others.
The graduates were provided with high calibre mentors who shared their time, knowledge, skills, expertise and tips.
On the 10th week, the mentees would present their Business Improvement Plan (BIP), incorporating the learning from the lectures and mentoring sessions in front of a panel composed of marketing/operations management mentors and micro financing institution (MFI) representatives who could possibly assist them on their financing needs.
DTI and the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship (PCE) – Go Negosyo conceptualized the KMME program to serve as the entrepreneurs’ guide to become a globally competitive enterprise, this being one of the strategies of the government to provide jobs to Filipinos and boost economic growth focusing on the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
DTI-Davao Director Maria Belenda Ambi earlier said the mentees religiously attended the 10-week program.
“This only shows that MSMEs nowadays are inspired to improve their productivity, be involved in value-adding activities and be of help to other people by creating job opportunities and become engine of growth,” Ambi said.
For 2018, DTI, through its field offices in the five provinces and one chartered city in Davao Region, will still be conducting the KMME.
Thus, MSMEs who are interested to avail of the mentoring sessions may contact DTI-Provincial Office nearest them. (Jenny Mendoza/PNA)
