The Department of Trade and Industry Region 2 (DTI-Region 2), in partnership with the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship (PCE)-Go Negosyo, has officially launched the 4th batch of online mentees (Retailer Sector) of the Kapatid Mentor ME- Money Market Encounter (KMME-MME) Program via Zoom on 15 June 2021.
In her opening message, Regional Director (RD) Leah Pulido Ocampo described the micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSME)-retailers as resilient ‘Bayani MSMEs’ who will soon be part of the elite group of KMME graduates. She said that enrolling into the program is like taking a ‘Masteral Degree’ with more advantages such as free tuition and bonus sessions on digitalization, business continuity planning and resilience, and the Government Services Forum which will tackle the different government programs for businesses.
This was echoed by DTI-Regional Operations Group Undersecretary Blesila A. Lantayona who congratulated Region 2 for being the only region that puts the retail sector in the center stage of the new batch for KMME-MME Online.
She emphasized KMME as one of the most comprehensive programs on MSMEs that DTI and PCE-Go Negosyo offer. “Your only investment here is your religious attendance to all the sessions and diligence in your homework. We expect you to apply all the learnings in your business,” she said.
On the other hand, Mr. Nonoy Espeleta, Go Negosyo Mentor Coordinator for Visayas, highlighted the significance of having the right mindset in business, reassessing options, shifting to e-commerce, and adapting to smart business strategies.
“The way to go is to transform into digital operations,” he said. He also gave a briefer on each modules and emphasized his 4Ri Business Journey in the pandemic which stands for Reviving, Rebooting, Repurpositioning, Reformatting Interrupted business.
Further, Paul Anthony De Guzman of PCE-Go Negosyo gave an introduction to Go Negosyo and presented the KMME program briefer and Zoom house rules for the mentees to be familiarized during the sessions.
The mentees then gave their respective self-introduction and elected their leader and note-taker per group for the entire duration of the program. The 58 enrolled mentees are broken down as follows: 6 from Batanes, 17 from Cagayan, 18 from Isabela, 9 from Nueva Vizcaya, and 8 from Quirino.
In her closing message, DTI-Quirino Provincial Director Ma. Sofia G. Narag gave a recap of the speakers’ messages and encouraged the mentees to move forward and to strive to transcend challenges.
The launching and orientation program was attended by Usec. Blesila A. Lantayona of DTI-ROG, DTI-Region 2 Director Leah Pulido Ocampo, Engr. Merly Mirasol Cruz, Go-Negosyo Advisor on MSME Development of PCE which was represented by Mr. Nonoy Espeleta- Go Negosyo Mentor Coordinator for Visayas, DTI-Region 2 Provincial Directors, Small and Medium Enterprise Development and Business Development Division Chiefs, KMME Coordinators, Negosyo Center Business Counsellors, and the 58 mentees from the different provinces of Region 2.
The KMME Program aims to provide MSMEs a 10-module mentorship on the different areas of business operations to develop their entrepreneurial capabilities. The mentees will undergo mentorship sessions with different mentors for all the modules of the program starting on Thursday, 17 June 2021.
To graduate from this program, every mentee must be able to come up with their Business Improvement Plan, with the help of coaches to be deployed by PCE – Go Negosyo.♦
Date of Release: 17 June 2021