Mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr. described the Sikap Buhay scheme as "a homegrown livelihood lending and training program that grows by leaps and bounds each year."
"We have created such a credible program that even prestigious schools like La Salle and the Entrepreneur School of Asia have taken notice and developed their own business courses to further train our Sikap Buhay beneficiaries on the rudiments of running a sustainable business," he said.
The program, which started in September 2001, is a poverty reduction effort that seeks to encourage the city’s poor families, especially those in depressed areas, to start their own small businesses.
La Rainne Abad Sarmiento, head of Task Force Sikap Buhay, said three professors from the Professional Development Center of the DLSU Graduate School of Business are now helping the task force in conducting a seminar under the Sikap Buhay Usad Negosyo Project.
The professors are Emilio Bruan Jr., Christopher Bautista and Celenita Francisco.
The seminar is being conducted for eight Saturdays at the Barangay Damayan Hall in District 1, in coordination with the office of Councilor Joseph Juico.
The seminar will be producing 25 graduates this September. Twelve are Sikap Buhay members and 13 are participants recommended by the office of Juico.
Topics covered by the seminar included the entrepreneurial process in starting a business, identifying and evaluating opportunities, preparing a business plan, identifying and determining resources required, managing the enterprise, the marketing and financial plan components of the business plan, and alternative sources of financing the business.
Some entrepreneurs were invited to share their experiences during the seminar and to give the participants some important tips on how to succeed in business.
Another seminar of this kind will be held for 10 Saturdays starting next month.