In a significant boost to local entrepreneurship, the Department of Trade and Industry’s Kapatid Mentor Me (KMME) program and Go Negosyo Centers have been pivotal in empowering micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Antique. The initiatives were highlighted during the inaugural Antique Business Exchange and KMME Provincial Congress held at Robinson’s Place Antique on December 9, 2024.
DTI Antique Provincial Director Mutya Eusores emphasized the transformative impact of these programs on the local business community. Since their inception in 2016 across the province’s 18 towns, the KMME and Go Negosyo Centers have equipped MSMEs with essential tools, skills, and confidence to navigate the competitive marketplace effectively.
Former Senator Bam Aquino, a key figure in the establishment of these programs, spoke at the event about the KMME’s goal to foster learning and success among budding entrepreneurs. He stressed the importance of real-world business experience over traditional classroom learning, noting that mentors in the program are active business practitioners themselves.
The congress also saw the signing of a Manifesto of Support by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc.-Western Visayas, led by Lawyer Jobert Peñaflorida. This agreement aims to enhance collaboration among the chamber’s chapters in Iloilo, Aklan, Capiz, Guimaras, Boracay, Antique, and Bacolod City, promising shared resources and customer databases to benefit MSMEs.
Rani Rodriguez, head of PCCI Antique, along with PCCI Western Visayas, is set to bolster local economies by promoting traditional products like ‘patadyong’ and muscovado sugar, and supporting the ‘One Visayas’ initiative through enhanced tourism and trade.
The event concluded with the recognition of 10 businesses, some over 50 years old, that have significantly contributed to Antique’s economic development in sectors such as food service, media, and hardware.