LAOAG CITY – A group of 53 micro and small business owners from the Ilocos Region has successfully completed a three-month mentoring program aimed at enhancing their business skills and operational capabilities.
According to Philippines News Agency, the program, known as the Kapatid Mentor Me-Money Market Encounter (KMME-MME), is a collaborative effort between the Department of Trade and Industry-Region 1 (DTI-Ilocos) and the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship - Go Negosyo. This initiative focuses on empowering entrepreneurs with essential business development tools. Among the graduates, twelve hailed from Ilocos Norte, while others came from neighboring provinces including Ilocos Sur, La Union, and Pangasinan.
Ilocos Norte has recently established its first Business Incubation Center in Laoag City, which functions as both a co-working space and a comprehensive support hub for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). This facility is designed to help local businesses adapt to the dynamic market environment and scale their operations with assistance from the provincial government and various partner institutions like the DTI, Mariano Marcos State University, Department of Science and Technology, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, and the Department of Information and Communications Technology.
During the virtual graduation ceremony, Grace Rabang, owner of Doña Remedios Diner in Laoag City and an accountant at the Department of Education-Ilocos Norte, shared her experiences. She successfully completed all ten modules of the program despite her demanding professional commitments.
Furthermore, the Anvil Business Club, previously known as the Association of Young Filipino Chinese Entrepreneurs, has committed PHP1 million to mentor local entrepreneurs focusing on manufacturing and processing. Elma Gabriel, head of the Ilocos Norte MSME Office, mentioned that 30 of the planned 130 training slots have already been filled. The training sessions are set to commence once all slots are secured, with the provincial government facilitating the acceleration program through the Ilocos Norte Business Incubation Center.
This program underscores the critical role that MSMEs play in the local economy, where they constitute about 95 percent of all business establishments.