The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) and the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship (PCE) have joined forces to empower displaced Subic workers through proper education on the fundamentals of running a business.
SBMA administrator Armand Arreza and PCE founding trustee Ma. Jose Concepcion III signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) at the Manila Polo Club in Makati City on Monday for a collaboration in the conduct of the “Go Negosyo” seminar series.
Arreza said the seminar will initially benefit 200 former workers in this free port who are planning to venture into small- to medium-size enterprises (SMEs), particularly in the tourism industry.
The two-day comprehensive seminar, including books and hand-outs, which normally costs about P1,000 per participant, will be given free to the workers, Arreza said.
The signing of the agreement was witnessed by SBMA labor manager Severo Pastor Jr., SBMA public relations manager Armina Belleza Llamas, PCE executive director Ramon Lopez, and PCE programs development manager Myra Dorothy Lorredo.
PCE is a non-stock, non-profit organization that advocates “Go Negosyo” and believes that Filipinos can address poverty by engaging in entrepreneurship.
“If all Filipinos will form a small group and start their own small or medium enterprises, our economy will definitely boom to progress,” said Concepcion who is also the presidential consultant for entrepreneurship.
“Putting up your own business is easy, especially when you have the capital. However, keeping the business going and profitable is another issue and this is where PCE comes in,” he added.
Under the SBMA-PCE agreement, the PCE will conduct a series of seminars, which focus on developing entrepreneurial mindsets and unifying key stakeholders to build an environment conducive to starting a business.
Concepcion said that many small and medium entrepreneurs lose their business in a short span of operation due to their failure to understand clearly some basic business know-how, or because of the lack of financial studies.
“For instance, it is important that the entrepreneurs know who their clients are, what product to offer, or how to keep records of the business. This is what we are going to teach these aspiring entrepreneurs,” he said.
“More importantly”, Concepcion added, “Kung saan ka magaling iyon ang dapat ma-highlight para tiyak na mayroon kang interes at naiitindihan mo ang loob at labas ng negosyo.”
Arreza, meanwhile, said the seminar is basically a “culture training,” which will help participants understand fully the compelling reasons for starting a business, choosing the right market, preparing business proposals for bank financing, and managing finances effectively.
“Marami kasi sa kababayan natin ang kung ano na lang ang gustong ibenta dahil malakas ito sa market, but later on maggagayahan at darami ang magkakaparehong paninda at malulugi na,” Arreza said.
The SBMA official also said that to ensure the viability of the SMEs to be put up by former Subic workers, the SBMA is currently studying the possibility of limiting the type of businesses that can be operated by foreigners here.
Noting that some foreign investors have lately ventured into operating even small kiosks inside the Subic Freeport, Arreza said that this type of operation should be reserved for businesses put up by former Subic workers.
“In the future, we would like to see that 20 percent of the Subic workforce will come from SMEs,” Arreza also said. (SBMA Corporate Communications)
Photo caption: PCE founding trustee Ma. Jose Concepcion III and SBMA Administrator Armand Arreza sign an agreement to conduct "Go Negosyo" seminars for displaced workers in the Subic Bay Freeport.
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