50 KMME Mentees of R12 Presented their Business Improvement Plans to Panel of Industry Experts

KORONADAL CITY, SOUTH COTABATO – The Department of Trade and Industry 12 (DTI-12) has facilitated the successful Business Improvement Plan (BIP) presentation of 50 budding entrepreneurs who are enrolled in this year’s 2nd batch of the Kapatid Mentor Micro Enterprises – Money, Market Encounter (KMME-MME) through a simultaneous sessions conducted in the provinces of Sultan Kudarat, South Cotabato, North Cotabato, and Sarangani, and the city of General Santos on September 14 to 15, 2022.

The enrolled entrepreneurs dubbed as mentees under the KMME-MME Program were from the different priority industries of Region 12, and have undergone ten online modules of lectures, coaching, and mentoring covering the varied aspects of entrepreneurship.

As a final requirement, the mentees must successfully present and defend their BIPs to a panel of industry experts and practitioners representing the government sector, financial institution, business sector, and marketing and promotion industry.

In his message to the South Cotabato mentees, DTI-12 OIC-Assistant Regional Director Rictoniel Reginio said that the BIP presentation is a culmination to test the aptitude of the mentees after having undergone a series of rigorous lectures and coaching sessions.

“The presentation is an exercise to test how our mentees can convince the panel if their Business Improvement Plan is workable. We hope that at the end of your presentation, our panel of evaluators from the financial institutions will offer their business financing program so you can expand your business,” said Reginio.

In a separate interview, DTI-12 OIC-Regional Director Flora Politud-Gabunales expressed her congratulations to the mentees for having completed the ten module sessions and for the successful presentation of their BIPs. She also mentioned that DTI through the Negosyo Center Business Counselors will be monitoring and assisting the mentees in the execution of their respective plans.

The KMME-MME is a coaching and mentoring program of DTI in partnership with the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship (PCE) – Go Negosyo that optimizes the interactions between the mentors and the mentees through a ten-module program with the key goal of boosting the entrepreneurial capacity through improved access to Mentorship, Money & Market (3Ms).

Premiered in 2016, a total of 497 entrepreneurs in Region 12 have graduated from the KMME-MME since the program was launched by DTI together with the PCE (Go Negosyo).

DTI Davao Region on Track of 2022 Target

DAVAO CITY - The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in the Davao Region has already exceeded the 50 percent mark of its annual target indicators for the first half of 2022.

DTI 11 Regional Director Maria Belenda Q. Ambi noted that this is an indication that the office has remained steadfast in the delivery of its services amidst the pandemic.

A total of 16,232 micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) have been assisted during the said period, according to its latest accomplishment report. This is 64 percent of its 25,200 target for this year.

The agency has continued to provide livelihood seeding assistance through the Negosyo Serbisyo sa Barangay (NSB) and Pangkabuhay sa Pagbangon at Ginhawa (PPG). Its provincial offices have successfully conducted its caravans to 148 barangays and provided 1,719 business and livelihood kits worth Php 8,000 to Php 10,000 each to the selected MSMEs who were hardly hit by the pandemic.

Meanwhile, its implementation of the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship-Go Negosyo’s mentorship program has continued as well through the Kapatid Mentor Micro Enterprise-Money Market Encounter (KMME-MME) Online which already produced 48 graduates in the first semester of the year. The agency has targeted to produce a total of 92 graduates by the end of 2022.

The DTI 11 regional and provincial offices have likewise extended their assistance to 84 investors in the priority industries. These include cacao, coffee, banana, coconut, rubber, information and communication technology (ICT), seaweed, rubber, wearables and homestyle, and processed fruits and nuts. It is worth noting that the majority of these investors belong to the agribusiness sector.

Under the exports and investments development program, the agency has facilitated the participation of 155 MSMEs in one international trade, three national, two regional, and one provincial trade fair. This has resulted in Php 3.36M worth of cash sales, Php 1.68M of booked sales, and Php 4.43M of sales that are still under negotiation.

On consumer protection, it has consistently conducted workplace monitoring as part of its commitment to protecting consumers and the general public against the spread of the COVID-19 virus. For the first half of the year, 292 workplaces and 48 barbershops and salons were monitored.

On the other hand, to support the existing efforts to ensure compliance with minimum public health standards, DTI 11 has approved 128 Safety Seal Certification applications from the establishments under its jurisdiction. Twenty-four of these were approved for renewal.

At the same time, the agency has successfully resolved 100 percent of consumer complaints through mediation and arbitration within the prescribed time.

In addition, its provincial offices have processed a total of 1,330 permits and licenses. This has earned a regional client satisfaction rating of 99 percent.

Ambi is confident that the agency can go beyond what is expected and will continue to provide stakeholders with quality services.

“Our resiliency and constant pursuit for innovation have become the foundation of our great success during these uncertain times. We will continue to strive towards recovery and realization of inclusive growth in the region,” Ambi said.

DTI Region 1 launches additional Negosyo Centers

To improve services for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) in the country side, the Department of Trade and Industry- Region 1 (DTI-R1), thru its provincial office in La Union opened additional Negosyo Centers (NCs) in the municipalities of Sudipen, Pugo and Sto. Tomas.

All the NCs launched are model B facilities that have a reception area, consultation and meeting rooms. The launching programs were graced by RD Grace Falgui-Baluyan, PD Merlie D. Membrere and the respective LGU Local Chief Executives.

The enactment of Republic Act No. 10644, also known as the Go Negosyo Act, fortified the policy of the State to foster national development, promote inclusive growth and reduce poverty by encouraging the development of MSMEs. This law provides for the establishment of Negosyo Centers under the supervision of the MSME Development Council, which shall encourage public-private partnerships in the establishment and management of said centers.

On her message, Dir. Baluyan reiterated that one of the goals of the Negosyo Center is to bring the government services closer to the people. “The establishment of Negosyo Center will encourage more enterprises to register or scale-up their businesses. As we create more businesses, there will be more employment opportunities for the people, thereby, leading to economic prosperity in said municipalities.” she added.

As the core of DTI’s thrust towards promoting MSME growth and development, Negosyo Centers will be established in every province, city and municipality nationwide. To date, there are already 1,263 Negosyo Centers nationwide. 75 of which is in Region 1. A total of 17 additional NCs are targeted to open in the region for this year.

The Negosyo Centers provide the following basic services: business registration assistance; business advisory services; business information and advocacy; and monitoring and evaluation of business-process improvement.