SOME 48 residents in Central Luzon with small businesses have completed the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) mentorship program.

The graduates, who joined the graduation ceremony via an online platform, are the new batches of the Kapatid Mentor Me Money Market Encounter (KMME-MME) program.

The KMME program aims to empower micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) through mentorship and e-learning sessions.

Under the program, the beneficiaries completed 10 online modules, coaching sessions, and successfully presented their business improvement plans before a panel composed of outstanding representatives from the government, banking and financial sector, online market platforms and mentors from the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship.

MSMEs are kept abreast of innovative information, skills and knowledge needed to survive, bounce back and pivot from the financial impact brought by the pandemic.

Bannered as “KMME Program in the New Normal,” the project is now in its third year with the recent graduates as the first batch for this year.

During the ceremony, DTI Central Luzon Director Leonila T. Baluyut challenged the mentees to use their learnings in improving their businesses.

“I hope that you will be able to use this network to improve your business. Thank you for making it this far,” she said.

On June 21, the second batch of KMME mentees belonging to the youth sector will undergo the same rudiments of the program.