Tycoons back Asean mentorship program

MANILA, Philippines - Some of the country’s tycoons have committed their support to the new mentorship program launched by the ASEAN-Business Advisory Council.

Dubbed ASEAN Membership for Entrepreneurs Network or AMEN, the program aims to empower micro small medium enterprises (MSMEs) by having big companies expose them to greater opportunities and better management methods.

The program also aims to help MSMEs achieve sustainable growth by linking them to regional and global supply chains.

During the ASEAN Prosperity for All Summit on Friday, Tessie Sy-Coson, vice-chairperson of conglomerate SM Investments Corp., said the SM malls were already doing mentorship to small and medium enterprises and the program would be extended to micro-enterprises.

“We have a lot of SMEs. This time were going into the micro. We think there is a lot of people who can expand their business given some access to finance, and now mentorship,” Sy said as she vowed support for AMEN.

For his part, Manuel Pangilinan, chairman of the MVP Group of Companies, said his companies have tried to establish relationships with MSMEs to mentor them. 

“You cannot teach MSMEs what entrepreneurship is about. That’s already in their DNA. It’s about having a relationship with them, sharing your experience,” he said.

In the case of PLDT, he said the company helps bring MSMEs to the digital level. 

Joey Concepcion, Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship, said it’s important to have mentoring in every business.

“There are people out there who can help. It becomes a game changer. In our corporation, we have many medium and large suppliers but there is an effort to have a micro supplier. That requires even more extensive mentorship. There are many organizations out there. Mentorship is very powerful. Not many sari-sari stores sell ice creams but we took a risk, we provided credit. We trained them that’s the whole process of inclusivity,” said Concepcion whose family owns food and beverage firm RFM Corp.

He urged other companies to tap micro-enterprises. “Let’s not be happy with medium and large. Let’s take the risk. We can really change the game. What if we really go around and look for micro-entrepreneurs,” he said.

Within Asean, cross border mentorship may also apply, he said.

The summit aims to discuss ways to better integrate the region including empowering MSMEs.

MSMEs employ anywhere between 59 to 97 percent of the workforce in different ASEAN countries and serve as the backbone of economies, comprising more than 90 percent of all ASEAN companies.

In one of the sessions during Friday’s forum, former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said MSMEs should also be given access to proper digital technology.

“If we want to bring these micro and small enterprises into the formal economy, they need digital infrastructure,” Arroyo said.  

The ASEAN-BAC hosted the summit in honor of 50 years of growing ASEAN integration and progress.