BUSINESS MENTORSHIP PROGRAM. Some 400 entrepreneurs and aspirants gather at a mall in Calasiao town in Pangasinan to learn from business experts on how they could start or grow their business through the Mentor Me on Wheels program on Monday (Sept. 9, 2019). The Department of Trade and Industry and the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship (PCE) Go Negosyo initiated the program. (Photo by Hilda Austria)
CALASIAO, Pangasinan -- Some 400 entrepreneurs and aspirants in Region 1 (Ilocos) learned ways to grow or expand their business during the ‘Mentor Me on Wheels’ program of the Department of Trade Industry (DTI) and the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship (PCE) Go Negosyo on Monday at a mall here.
“It is our vision for our micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) sector to be globally competitive, regionally integrated, nationally resilient, highly sustainable and productive, innovative and dynamic, and performing as one of the most effective drivers of inclusive Philippine economic growth,” DTI-1 regional director Grace Falgui Baluyan said in her speech during the opening program.
During the one-day event, MSMEs, students, and even professionals planning to establish their own business sat down with Go Negosyo mentors for a one-on-one session.
“Mentoring is a professional relationship in which an experienced person (mentor) assists another (the mentoree or the mentee) in developing specific skills and knowledge that will enhance the less experienced mentee’s professional and personal growth, which is seen as competence in running a business,” Baluyan said.
Through the program, she added the DTI hopes to see more businesses grow and expand that will eventually help employ more people and benefit the communities.
Meanwhile, Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) Commissioner Sandy Montano, who was one of the mentors, expressed support to the program.
“PCW supports programs like Mentor Me on Wheels as it helps alleviate our country from poverty. Entrepreneurship is one of our flagship programs as it capacitates, especially women,” she said.
In his speech, Public Employment Services Office chief Alex Ferrer said the activity will help generate employment and eventually will help lower unemployment in the province.
“Malaking tulong sa amin ito na mayroon ng negosyo para mapalago pa naming ito (This is a big help for us who have businesses so that we could make it expand),” said Lorenzo Austria Jr., an entrepreneur, in an interview.
“I have learned a lot and was inspired to venture into being an entrepreneur,” Sherwin Brunio, one of the attendees, added. (PNA)
