More sign up for Kapatid Mentoring

• Source: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/business/2017/03/20/more-sign-kapatid-mentoring-531965
• Monday, March 20, 2017

By Katlene O. Cacho

AFTER producing 26 graduates of the Kapatid Mentor Me Program (KMM) last year, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Cebu is attempting to graduate 33 new mentees this year.

“This is beyond what is ideal, but the interest (among MSME players to join) is high,” said Virgilio Espeleta, the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s (CCCI) vice president for business development and management services division, in an interview.

He noted that the successful turnout of the first batch, as well as word of mouth, has encouraged more MSMES in the province to participate in the program. There are already a number of mentees awaiting the next batches, he said.

The KMM Project is a collaboration of the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship (PCE)/Go Negosyo, DTI, and CCCI.

The program aims to help MSMEs scale up their businesses through weekly coaching (for 12 weeks) and mentoring by business owners and practitioners on the different functional areas of entrepreneurship.

The modules will covers topics on basic entrepreneurship such as entrepreneurial mind-setting and values foundation, and marketing and advanced business modules such as operations management, supply and value chain, human resource management, financial management, taxation, and business law.

Learning from the turnout of the previous batch, Espeleta said they have made improvements in the module such as setting up a separate session on crafting a business model canvass, as well as a separate module for working with other government agencies that can help mentees grow, and the organization of an expo on June 3 to expose the mentees’ products.

DTI Cebu Provincial Director Ma. Elena Arbon said she was pleased with the success of the KMM program, adding that its participants are now more comfortable with reaching out to the government.

During the launching of the KMM Batch 2, the organizers invited successful homegrown entrepreneurs to inspire the mentees. They included Rey Calooy, founder and general manager of RNC Marketing Philippines Inc.; exporter Ramir Bonghanoy, president of Bon-Ace Fashion Tools, Inc.; Leonora Salvane, vice president and chief operating officer of GT Cosmetics Manufacturing; Bunny Pages, chairman and CEO of Pages Holdings Inc.; and Mario Panganiban, general manager of Cebu Advent Development Corp.