CALAMBA CITY, Laguna, Sept 12 (PIA)--The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Region 4-A has teamed up with the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship (PCE) to strengthen and support the needs of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon) region.

Under the PCE's banner program Go Negosyo, the DTI 4-A organized a full-day financial and marketing sessions for local entrepreneurs dubbed as Money and Market Encounter Forum held recently in Tagaytay City, Cavite .

DTI 4-A Regional Director Marilou Toledo told Philippine Information Agency that the forum is a supplementary activity for the graduates of Kapatid Mentor Micro Entrepreneurs (KMME) program.

She said "the forum targets to scale-up the capacities of MSMEs in terms of finance and marketing."

"This forum participated by KMME graduates is a levelling-up [activity] already. After they have acquired knowledge and skills in terms of enterprise development, dito tuturuan namin sila in terms of marketing, how to access funds and at the same time yung digital marketing," Toledo said.

Toledo added that the forum is based on the needs of the KMME graduates as identified in their business improvement plans.

According to Toledo, 40-percent of the KMME graduates need financing, 35-percent want to improve their marketing strategies, and 15-percent still need business mentoring.

Getting financial help from the banks

With the help of banking and lending institutions, participating MSMEs were able to gain knowledge on how they can avail financial opportunities that could help them expand their business and keep at pace with the trends in the competitive business environment.

Among the institutions that shared financial opportunities to MSMEs were the Development Bank of the Philippines, Small Business Corporation, Card SME Bank, Banko Mabuhay, and Inter Asia Development Bank.

Digital marketing

The MSMEs were also immersed on the emerging trends of digital marketing with focus on digital transformation, e-commerce, digital credit, and local digital platform.

Toledo said that if MSMEs want to venture in digitalization, "it has to be a complete package to include online marketing, logistic and payment methods as practiced by online shopping establishments."

Engr. Merly Cruz, DTI's Go Negosyo adviser for MSME development said the forum is timely and necessary for the effective progression and growth of MSMEs in the region.

"This forum is organized purposely to address the capacity development needs of MSMEs so that they know where to go when they need capital, they know what to do when they want to venture in the local or global market," Cruz said.

As the business competition grows, Cruz encouraged the MSMEs to make use of the business mentoring sessions and opportunities organized by the DTI.

"Make time for sessions like this para tumatag kayo, para lumakas ang negosyo at para maka contribute sa economic development ng ating country," Cruz said. (FSC-PIA4A)