The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Region 4-A, in partnership with the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship (PCE)-Go Negosyo, conducted the Kapatid Mentor ME-Money and Market Encounter (KMME-MME) Online Multi-sectoral Batch Graduation on 19 July 2022 via Zoom. Fifty CALABARZON mentees graduated from the program and presented their Business Improvement Plan (BIP) to an expanded panel of evaluators composed of representatives from banks, online market platforms, and other business support organizations.
“Today is a happy day for all of us. Graduation is like a new year for our mentees. It’s a new and fresh start for them after all the grueling weeks that they spent learning. Right now, we already feel the fire inside each of our mentees to persevere and succeed in their business by applying all the things that they have learned from the KMME-MME. That’s what we truly want—for all our mentees to be successful entrepreneurs, “said DTI 4-A OIC-Regional Director Marissa C. Argente.
The KMME-MME Online is designed to integrate the Money Market Encounter (MME) into the regular KMME Program. This aims to provide a platform for existing and aspiring micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to learn and be inspired by the entrepreneurial journey of mentors online, adapt their business strategies in response to the challenges of the new normal business environment, and be the channel for capacity building on an online platform using the KMME modules, and canned lectures via webinar, and provide an avenue for business mentorship of the waitlisted MSMEs across the regions and enhance their resiliency through a crisis.
In his congratulatory message, former DTI Secretary Ramon M. Lopez said that despite the new normal, the DTI remains committed to implementing the KMME-MME program to help MSMEs improve their business models and reboot their businesses to recover from the economic setback brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.
This is the third year of KMME-MME Online in the CALABARZON region. In 2021, the Multi-sectoral and Online Seller batches produced 103 mentee-graduates. Overall, there are 649 graduates from 2016–2022.
“We are very thankful to DTI for letting us join in this program. This is truly transformational for our business. KMME-MME transforms the way we do things in our company. Tinuruan kami ng aming mga mentors na magkaroon ng entrepreneurial mindset na napakalaking tulong para magkaroon din kami ng social impact. We are currently working in marketing to improve our products and customer service skills.Rest assured that we won’t waste this once in a lifetime opportunity that we had,” said Jon Ortenero, Manager of Volnet United OPC in Cavite.
Another MSME from Laguna, Anne Nepomuceno-Kaquilala, owner of Frontier Power Technologies and Allied Services, said that KMME-MME has helped her get back up on her feet after the major challenges in her personal life and in her business.
“The things that I learned from my mentors and classmates opened my eyes about the things that I still do not know about the aspects of business, at the same time, relearn and enhance the things that I know. I realized that you can always bounce back with the help from the right people, and for me, that is DTI. I’m forever grateful to DTI for all the support on this journey,” added Kaquilala.
The KMME-MME Online is a public-private partnership program between the DTI and the PCE-Go Negosyo to provide business coaching and mentorship for entrepreneurs across the country. If you want to be a mentee of the KMME-MME Online, visit your nearest DTI Regional and Provincial Office or Negosyo Center nationwide.♦
Date of Release: 28 July 2022