Thursday, May 24, 2007 Dutch group to help Cebu SMEs
A BUSINESS group from the Netherlands Management Cooperation program, also called PUM (Porgramma Uitzending Managers), is intensifying its assistance to Cebu’s entrepreneurs to help raise their global competencies.
PUM Netherlands senior experts will be in Cebu next week to offer their skills and practical experience to entrepreneurs and government executives.
The program targets various sectors, like exporters, manufacturers, retailers, tourism and information technology–related industry representatives.
The group will conduct an in-house training on specific areas of expertise, like product design, market linkage, spa management, work ethics, cost accounting and finance to help improve business operation and efficiency.
In a statement, the group said that their other projects include the garments industry, metal industry, a Philippine-Europe market linkage, ISO 12647-2 accreditation, mining industry, product development, wellness and skin care industry, wine and spirits, among others.
PUM Netherland’s objectives are to assist companies in various aspects of management and business operations in manufacturing, water and energy, transport and logistics, education, infrastructure and engineering, accounting, human resources, health care, agriculture, food, retail and wholesale trade, information technology and tourism sectors, to name a few.
After the initial visit of Dutch experts in Cebu, local companies will be able to further avail themselves of a follow up project through a grant by the Hans Blankett Fund or the Business Linkage and Training (BLT) in Holland.
For the BLT, the Dutch Consular Office in Cebu has expressed its support in the visa endorsement of qualified PUM participants.
In 2006, the Philippines has achieved close to 200 percent increase in PUM development projects executed both in the business and government sectors, the statement read.
Expansion
About 50 percent of the total projects were implemented among the small and medium enterprises and local government units in Cebu. The contributions indicate PUM’s expansion projects for the province.
PUM Netherlands is an independent job agency for professional volunteers aiming to improve the business climate in developing countries with a view to creating jobs and increasing the income of the local population.
It operates in more than 80 countries worldwide with a database of more than 4,000 volunteer senior experts available to help enterprises in Eastern and Southern Europe, Latin America, Middle East, Asia, Northwest, South and West Africa.
The PUM program is financed by the Dutch government, the European Union, the largest Dutch employers’ organization VNO-NCW and international organizations like the United Nations. (MMM)
