THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) urged micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Negros Occidental not to take for granted its free mentoring program.
Lea Gonzales, provincial director of DTI-Negros Occidental, yesterday said they hope to scale up more local MSMEs with the launching of the second batch of mentees for the agency’s “Kapatid Mentor Me” program Thursday.
Gonzales said mentees should really complete all the modules so they can be allowed to graduate from the program.
Upon the recommendation of the first batch of mentees, she said they will implement starting this year a sort of a “ban” on availing various DTI services among recipients who failed to attend all the mentoring sessions.
“This is an opportunity that they should not take for granted, but instead should take advantage to further improve their respective businesses,” Gonzales said, adding that “in order not to waste the program, it should be availed by deserving MSMEs.”
The DTI has partnered with the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship (PCE) for the conceptualization of the "Mentor Me" program, which is one of the three components of its Project Kapatid along with adopt-an-SSF (shared service facilities) and inclusive business.
Launched in Negros Occidental in July 2017, the program mainly aims to scale up local MSMEs through weekly coaching and mentoring by successful business owners and practitioners on different functional areas of entrepreneurship.
For this year, another batch of 20 mentees from the province will avail of the free 10-module mentoring sessions.
Gonzales said the continuation this year is an offshoot of the successful implementation of the program last year.
She said most of the first batch of recipient-mentees have really improved their products. In fact, one of them already joined a national food fair.
“They really gained confidence in expanding their businesses,” Gonzales said, stressing that mentoring is a more effective strategy that enable MSMEs to learn more than just attending casual trainings.
