ENTREPRENEURS from Central Luzon have graduated from the mentoring course provided by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-Central Luzon.

A total of 45 entrepreneurs from the region finished the 10-module course under the Kapatid Mentor Micro Entrepreneurs-Money Market Encounter (KMME-MME) program.

The virtual graduation ceremony held on May 21, 2021 was graced by DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez, who served as guest speaker.

In his message, Lopez assured graduates that DTI remains committed in improving the KMME-MME program to help existing entrepreneurs to improve access to mentoring, market and money.

He said despite the pandemic, DTI is continuing the KMME program with the realization that entrepreneurial education is key in surviving and the growth of a business.

DTI-Central Luzon Director Leonila Baluyut, for her part, lauded the commitment of beneficiaries in learning and applying these learning to improve their businesses.

"This batch of mentees is tourism-related establishments whose businesses were affected by the downturn in the tourism industry due to the Covid-19 pandemic," she said.

The participants’ businesses include hotels and restaurants, transient houses, beach resorts, travel agencies, agri-tourism business and events places.

From the 45 graduates, seven are from Bataan, seven from Nueva Ecija, seven from Zambales, while there were six each from Aurora, Bulacan, Pampanga and Tarlac.

Albert Rimorin, one of the KMME-MME graduates and owner of the Zen Tierras Resort in Dingalan, Aurora, expressed his gratitude to DTI and Go Negosyo for the mentoring program.

"Dahil sa programang ito, natuto kami paano mag manage ng aming mga resources at paano maging mas produktibo. Salamat po sa DTI at Go Negosyo sa pagiging bahagi ng pagbangon ng aming mga Negosyo," he said.

He also assured DTI that they, as KMME graduates, will use their learning to improve their products, services and operations.