Jollibee, DTI to conduct training for MSMES
THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said it signed an agreement with Jollibee Foods Corp. (JFC) and Jollibee Group Foundation (JGF) for a training program for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMES) and entrepreneurs.
DTI said JFC will conduct a half-day learning session for small merchants on April 25.
Under the guidance of DTI Undersecretary Ma. Cristina Roque, the Trade department said the DTI-MSME Development Group will lead the “collaborative efforts” with JFC and JGF, focusing on “empowering” MSMES through “capacity building and knowledge sharing.”
“Topics covered will be JFC/JGF’S experience in linking smallholder farmers as suppliers of JFC and How to succeed in Business: B2B [businessto-business] and B2C [business-toconsumer] transactions,” DTI said in a Viber message.
Trade Secretary Alfredo E. Pascual told reporters that Jollibee will conduct the learning session “because they have the management, the experts who will share the actual experience.”
“This isn’t going to be theoretical like the lectures in school. This is the actual experience.”
Pascual said the fastfood chain will also take care of the cost and the planning of the program while the Trade department’s role is to introduce the company to MSMES that can be invited. As to the program’s target number of beneficiaries, Pascual said an initial range of 20 to as much as 50 small merchants “depending on the response rate.”
The experience from the one-time session, the Trade chief said, will determine if this will result in more training sessions with the small merchants.
“Initially ‘yung one-time [program] depending on the experience then we will discuss and see whether it’s gaining traction siyempre hindi naman sila mga teachers so we’ll see if the participants will appreciate their sharing of experiences and sharing of expertise.”
In a statement on Thursday, Pascual said the memorandum of understanding the agency signed with Jollibee “symbolizes a partnership built on shared values, mutual respect, and a common goal.”
“It is a testament to our collective belief in the private and public sectors in the transformative power of entrepreneurship and the profound impact it can have on individuals, families, and communities.”
DTI said this partnership backs the goals cited in Republic Act 9501 or the Magna Carta for MSMES, which it said, “mandates nationwide support for MSME growth through expanding entrepreneurship training programs, fostering linkages between large and small enterprises, and encouraging private sector engagements.”