DAVAO CITY – The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-Region 11 has lined up two batches for its online mentoring program this year, with the first one launched recently with 49 mentees across the region.

Following what started five years ago, the Kapatid Mentor Micro Enterprise – Money Market Encounter (KMME-MME) continues to assist local micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) scale up their businesses through coaching and mentoring. Successful business owners and experts in different fields guide and prepare them further as they embark on innovative and applicable interventions.

DTI-Region 11 Regional Director Maria Belenda Q. Ambi said that the agency, with the help of qualified mentors, helps the identified mentees be equipped in the different functional areas of entrepreneurship.

“We want them to acquire or develop the necessary knowledge and skills in running a business, especially now that times have been difficult,” she said. She also added that with the current situation, MSMEs have to reinvent the wheel and adjust according to what is needed to sustain their operation and thrive.

The 49 mentees will undergo 10 relevant modules that will help them propel their business to success and development, particularly in this time of the pandemic. After the discussions of the modules with the mentors, they will have one-on-one coaching. Lastly, they will present their respective Business Improvement Plan (BIP) to a set of panelists, consisting of Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship (PCE) certified mentors, and representatives from financial institutions who can help them with their financial needs.

The current run of the KMME-MME will be until June. Once done, the second batch will immediately commence in August.

The KMME-MME online is a fusion of the KMME and MME programs of DTI, which is implemented and delivered in the new normal. Using the Zoom app, it addresses the need for continued access to money, market, and mentorship (3Ms) without compromising the safety of the participants.

“We believe that in order to achieve inclusive growth that we aspire for, we need to equip our MSMEs with entrepreneurship education, trainings, and other methods of mentorship,” Ambi said.

This year, DTI-Region 11 targets to have 96 mentees following the 80 KMME graduates last year. Since 2016, the region has already produced a total of 546 graduates, with some of them turning into mentors to the new batches. ♦

Date of Release: 24 May 2021