CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY—More than a hundred entrepreneurs and aspiring business operators from all over Northern Mindanao have benefited from the Department of Trade and Industry’s Kapatid Mentor Me (KMME) program, a DTI official in this region said.
The program, which runs for 12 weeks, was designed to equip micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) with the right entrepreneurial mindset and basic management skills. It was established in the region in 2016.
“These 12 modules aim to shape MSMEs so they can scale up their businesses, no matter what field, services or products they chose to sell,” said DTI-10 Director Linda Boniao.
The KMME program comprises of trainings on basic accounting, recording, human resource, operation management, among others.
Boniao said the training that the DTI-10 provided under the KMME is “comparable to a Master’s degree. You are not with the academicians, you are going to be mentored by the businessmen themselves.”
She said all interested entrepreneurs from the region can avail of the 12-week business mentoring program.
“This is the first KMME with no fall-out, which means that no one is wait-listed; all of you will be enrolled in the program for two and half to three months. You are all selected from the different provinces and, together, we will have our grand graduation day,” she told the participants during a recent KMME launch here.
During the launching, two speakers shared their insights on how entrepreneurs can be successful in their respective enterprises.
Dean Lapid, the managing director of Southwest Professionals and an active advocate of Go Negosyo, gave the attendees tips on how to succeed in their businesses, including the values and characteristics one should have in order to succeed.
Another resource person, Paolo Tibig, explained that entrepreneurs should be versatile and be willing to do whatever it takes for their businesses.
Last year, DTI-10 conducted seven KMME launchings in Bukidnon, Camiguin, Lanao del Norte, Misamis Oriental, and Misamis Occidental. Of the 1,445 KMME launch attendees, 154 MSMEs were able to proceed to the 11-week series of mentoring and coaching.
To date, 141 entrepreneurs were able to complete the 12 modules and had presented their business improvement plan to their mentors. (Jigger J. Jerusalem/PNA)
