TRADE CHIEF COMMENDS OFWS-TURNED-ENTREPRENEURS, ACKNOWLEDGES CONTRIBUTIONS TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

PASAY CITY—Trade Secretary Fred Pascual together with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. commended our Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) who thrived as entrepreneurs during the KABAYAN 2022: Go Negosyo’s 17th Anniversary Special held on 3 December 2022 at the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall.

“Investing our hard-earned money here in the country is good business. As businesses in the country grow, the effects spillover to our economy and people", Pascual said.

The KABAYAN 2022 aims to provide business opportunities and investment matches for the hard-earned resources of OFWs and their families. Further, the event awarded the Most Inspiring OFWs for their remarkable contributions to the Philippine economy. There were also business-related curated booths, money and market discussions, and general mentorship from successful OFWs-turned-entrepreneurs during the event.

DTI continues to promote inclusive growth and prosperity for our MSMEs through access to money, market, and mentorship. The Department also aids OFWs and their families through entrepreneurial trainings, business advisory services, business name registration assistance, and skills trainings and seminars, among others.

The Department currently implements projects and programs such as Helping the Economy to Recover Through OFW Enterprise Startups (HEROES) program and the Rise Up Multipurpose Loan, which provide loans to repatriated and returning OFWs, Kapatid Mentor ME (KMME) and Trabaho, Negosyo, Kabuhayan (TNK) that aim to boost the entrepreneurial capacity of Filipinos, and online Business Name Registration System Next Generation (BNRS Next Gen) and DTI chatbot TIA (Trade and Industry Assistant) that provide digital assistance to OFWs who are planning to start a business.

Further, the Trade Chief emphasized the critical role played by OFWs in contributing to the country’s economic growth and development even during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Despite the global economic downturn due to the pandemic, OFW remittances last year hit a record-breaking USD34.88 billion. This huge amount, together with the Filipinos’ madiskarte entrepreneurial spirit, tell us that our OFWs and their families can grow earnings beyond their monthly paycheck—that is, invest and make things happen in the Philippines", the Trade Chief added.

Also gracing the event were Department of Migrant Workers Secretary Susan V. Ople and representatives from various business chambers.

DTI in Sydney offers Trabaho, Negosyo, Kabuhayan Webinar Series to Overseas Filipinos Affected by COVID-19

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA—The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) through the Philippine Trade and Investment Center (PTIC) in Sydney, the overseas office of the DTI in Australia, organized the first webinar of the Trabaho, Negosyo, Kabuhayan (TNK) webinar series held on 20 April 2020.

The TNK is an initiative of the DTI in partnership with other government agencies, private sector, academe and civil society organizations, to increase incomes by generating more jobs and promoting entrepreneurship. The program aims to popularize entrepreneurship as an alternative to unemployment, job-seeking or migration.

Alma Argayoso, the Philippine commercial consul to Australia said that PTIC-Sydney had conducted TNK seminars in the past and has lined-up several seminars this year. However, due to coronavirus restrictions, the physical events have been cancelled but they have decided to offer virtual seminars.

“We realized that the webinars would be very useful particularly for those who have lost their jobs due to COVID-19, or for returning Filipinos who would like to start their own business. The webinars might also be of interest to Overseas Filipino Investors (OFIs) or even Australians who would like to help the Philippines recover from the pandemic by investing in viable economic activities in the country as soon as lockdown restrictions are lifted or helping finance the livelihood activities or rehabilitation efforts of their relatives or friends back home,” Argayoso said.

The first webinar of the series covered Franchising 101 and discussed key topics such as how to start and select a franchise business, benefits and pitfalls of franchising, franchising regulations, and franchising opportunities in Australia and the Philippines.

The speaker, Mr. Rudolf Kotik, founder of RK Franchise Consultancy Incorporated, discussed the basics of franchising for those looking for franchise opportunities in the Philippines or Australia, as well as opportunities for business owners who wish to develop their business into a franchise. An option to participate in a co-franchise agreement was also discussed where an opportunity to co-own a franchise together with other franchisees is available for those who wish to start a franchising business as a passive investor.

Mr. Kotik highlighted that the future of franchising is assured even after COVID-19 and is one of the most enduring industries one can think of. He said that aside from food businesses, the services sector such as beauty salons, spa services and laundry shops would bounce back immediately after lockdown restrictions are lifted.

“Franchising is an industry with a proven business system and the best way to invest your money and I highly recommend it to our overseas Filipino workers looking for alternative ways of employment or those who have lost their jobs due to COVID-19,” Kotik added.

Argayoso, during her presentation, highlighted that aside from the webinar initiated by her office, the DTI in the Philippines offers various services, tools and information to help Filipinos succeed as entrepreneurs. Through DTI’s Negosyo Centers located all over the country, the agency provides business advisory, business registration facilitation, product catalogue preparation, packaging and labelling design development, mentorship, education and training, exposure to online platforms and trade fairs, as well as funding for MSMEs.

More recently, DTI’s financing arm, SB Corporation announced a P1B loan facility for MSMEs affected by COVID-19 which will be rolled out by partnering with Negosyo Centers in accepting loan applications for small enterprises.

Argayoso said the TNK webinar series will discuss various business opportunities and feature a sector or industry per session. It will also include other topics of interest related to starting a business

DTI Promotes Digital Economy at the 1st TNK Lecture Series in Indonesia

(left to right) Commercial Attaché Jeremiah C. Reyes, PTIC-Jakarta, Ms. Thelma Victorio, Incoming President of PWA Indonesia, Ms. Marvie Rances Samala, Senior Vice President, Blibli.com, Ms. April Cabello, TRANSDIGITAL, Ms. Stella Arungayan, Outgoing President of PWA Indonesia, and Vice Consul Jacqueline Arquiza, Philippine Embassy in Indonesia.

JAKARTA - The Department of Trade and Industry, through the Philippine Trade and Investment Center – Jakarta (PTIC-Jakarta) conducted its first Trabaho, Negosyo, Kabuhayan (TNK) Lecture Series: Entrepreneurship in the Digital World on 16 March 2019 at the Embassy of the Philippines in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Attended by more than seventy (70) would-be entrepreneurs, the TNK Lecture Series is part of the year-long events for the commemoration of the 70th year of Philippines-Indonesia bilateral relations. The TNK Lecture Series: Entrepreneurship in the Digital World is the first for the year, which tackled opportunities and promotion of women entrepreneurship through e-commerce and social media.

Commercial Attaché Jeremiah C. Reyes shared that, “We in DTI have actively been encouraging our kababayan overseas to have an entrepreneurial mindset as this will provide more opportunities for employment and economic growth, especially in the age of digitalization and disruptive technologies that can change people’s day to day lives.”

Ms. Marvie Rances Samala of Blibli.com and Ms. April Cabello of TRANSDIGITAL served as the resource speakers during the lecture. Blibli.com is one of Indonesia’s largest e-commerce platforms while TRANSDIGITAL, part of CT Corp, is the largest consumer conglomerate in Indonesia.

The TNK Lecture Series: Entrepreneurship in the Digital World is brought to you by PTIC-Jakarta in partnership with the Embassy of the Philippines in Indonesia, and the Philippine Women’s Association – Indonesia (PWA Indonesia). The next TNK Lecture Series will be conducted in July 2019.