DTI CamSur spearheads KMME launch

By Ana-Liza S. Macatangay NAGA CITY --- Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Regional Operations Group Asec. Blesila A. Lantayona underscored here that the Micro, Small,and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) scattered all over the country are fueling the economic growth of the country. In her message during the launching of the Kapatid Mentor Me (KMME) Program at the Avenue Plaza Convention Center here last May 10, Lantayona said that 99.6 percent of the total enterprises in the country are MSMEs. Of these MSMEs, 89.9 percent are micro, 9.2 percent are small, and a meager .4 percent belongs to the medium size category. The top 5 regions in terms of the number of MSMEs are NCR, Calabarzon, Central Luzon, Central Visayas, and Western Visayas, in that order. “MSMEs account for 62.2 percent of the total employment, and 7.5 percent in terms of growth value added. Because of these, there is no doubt that MSMEs is a very important sector in the economy.” With DTI are partners who ensure that the entrepreneurial culture in the Philippines will continue to empower the ingenuity of every Filipino worker, particularly those who belong to the marginalized sector of the government. One of these is the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship- GoNegosyo, an advocacy group that for the past 11 years continues to conduct business cliniqueing and consultation with the local businessmen. They strengthen their grassroots hold by forging partnership with the different sectors of the society, particularly promoting entrepreneurship as the next best option against unemployment. When asked about the range of competitiveness of the Filipinos vis-à-vis their ASEAN neighbors, Lantayona said Filipinos may lag behind in terms of product packaging “but our producers have the full potential to be competitive.” Mentoring like the one that they are launching now, she added, is a big leap towards achieving that goal. The DTI official also emphasized the great role of veteran entrepreneurs or mentors who set the benchmark for the performance of future entrepreneurs. “On the part of the mentees, like for example the selected 26 mentees, they need to take this seriously because they are scholars of DTI. They are scholars of PCE-Go Negosyo. This is a rare opportunity because they were selected out of so many. This mentoring will be scaled up in ASEAN. This means, that our mentees have the potential that they will be mentored by mentors coming from other ASEAN countries,” Lantayona said in closing. PIA5/Camarines Sur