Stronger will for new traders
Lopez said the equipment is provided to an organization such as a cooperative and not to individuals
The mentorship concept and the revival of the One Town-One Product (OTOP) project initiated under former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo are programs the Department of Trade and Industry expects to provide the spark to turn most Filipinos into entrepreneurs, DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez said.
So-called Negosyo (Business) Centers that are being spread out to all municipalities also provide businesses the chance to acquire modern machineries at government expense through a shared services facility.
Lopez said the equipment is provided to an organization such as a cooperative and not to individuals through usufruction.
“If in two years, the machineries do not result in successful businesses, then it is awarded to another project,” Lopez indicated during a recent guesting at the online forum “Straight Talk with Daily Tribune.”
The DTI chief estimates 1,072 centers as having been set up, but since the country has 1,500 municipalities, he said more Negosyo Centers will have to be put up.
Center of entrepreneurship
The purpose of these centers is to entertain walk-in inquiries for the setting up of a business, Lopez said, as he noted that those who wanted to inquire do not need to be acquainted with any person in DTI or the government.
“You go there to ask how to set up a business in a particular field and a business councilor is always present in these centers ready to impart information every day,” he shared.
There are also seminars being held, but if you wanted to register a business and learn the process needed to take out a loan, then information about the nearest micro finance institution (MFI) in the area is available in the centers.
Market access is then provided through Go Local and trade fairs, he stressed.
Lopez said OTOP was shelved by the previous administration simply because it was associated with Arroyo’s term.
“The program is very relevant in the provinces, and we call it now ‘OTOP Next Gen,’” the official said.
President Rodrigo Duterte had earlier commended the DTI for its programs which benefit small businesses, and cited Lopez as one of the “Formidable 3” of his Cabinet, the other two being Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade and Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar.
Angel-preneurs
Mentoring is available even for basic requirements. The Negosyo Centers do not pretend to provide swift success to new businesses and provides the most basic assistance. For instance, one can see in the centers items such as otap, piyaya and other local produce of small and medium enterprises.
“All such centers seek to create a vendor community. Aside from councilors than the DTI-trained personnel, what we plan to do now is to make the centers a community affair where those who have business sense in a community can be trained as a mentor,” Lopez said.
For instance, there may be managers of a corporation who are skilled in marketing or finance and a lawyer may also be living in a community and has the time and social commitment to volunteer assistance to the centers.
In Bacolod City, for instance, 13 leading entrepreneurs were accredited as national mentors. The mentors are now assisting DTI in scaling up other micro, small and medium enterprises under the “Kapatid Mentor Me” program.
Under this program, the mentors are called “angelpreneurs” for their brotherly help to most start-up businesses.
Since 2017, a total of 58 mentors were trained in the province through the “Kapatid Mentor Me” program.
“We don’t need a huge budget for the program since the mentors are willing to provide their services free,” Lopez indicated.
All of such centers seek to create a vendor community.
If in two years the machineries do not result in a successful business, then it is awarded to another project.