DTI to mentor 50 more entrepreneurs in KMM

CEBU, Philippines — The Department of Trade and Industry is eyeing to mentor 50 more Cebu entrepreneurs in the Kapatid Mentor Me (KMM) program.

In a phone interview yesterday, DTI provincial director Ma. Elena Arbon said the agency is set to launch the fourth batch of KMM entrepreneurs probably next month.

"We are still finalizing plans with the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry," Arbon said

She also added the fifth batch is also being eyed to be launched in September this year.

Each batch will have around 25 mentees, she said.

She noted the DTI is allotting a P900,000-budget for the upcoming two KMM batches.

Arbon said the KMM entrepreneurs will still include those engaged in food business, food processing and services.

KMM is a 12-module mentoring session for MSEs to help scale up their business through weekly coaching and mentoring by business owners and practitioners on the different areas of entrepreneurship.

The goal of the program is to produce confident entrepreneurs with the right mindset and business know-how that will enable them to sustain and scale up their business.

The entrepreneurial mentoring program is led by DTI, Go Negosyo and the CCCI.

The program aims to help micro and small entrepreneurs scale up their businesses through the coaching and mentoring of business owners, practitioners, and experts on different areas of entrepreneurship.

The mentoring program also aims to make the idea of entrepreneurship less intimidating to people and provide them with the confidence to surmount the obstacles. The idea is to pass on business knowledge to starting entrepreneurs and provide them with concrete guidance on specific entrepreneurial and business ideas.