DTI Cordillera upgrades potential of young entreps

 By Liza Agoot  

BAGUIO CITY – The Dept. of Trade and Industry in the Cordillera Administrative Region is eyeing to boost capability of young entrepreneurs by giving training and assistance, which is among the focus of the agency in the region for the year.
    Myrna Pablo, DTI-CAR regional director, on Wednesday said they started the rollout of the Youth Entrepreneurship Program (YEP) in the last part of 2020 after seeing the need to provide capacity to the sector who are the emerging entrepreneurs.
    She said they see a lot of potential in the sector being young and pro-active.
    “Last December, we started to train 105 youths aged 20 to 35 years old,” Pablo said.
    She said they gave training on business pitching and they have scheduled this March the 10-week, 10-module activity under the “Kapatid Mentor Me” program that they are doing together with the "Go Negosyo" program.
    The virtual training will be split into two batches.
    Pablo said they gave 15 slots each for the six Benguet provinces and Baguio City, but are not closing the doors to others in the sector who want to join the YEP program.
    Aside from training, the director said they will link the young entrepreneurs to financing institutions and other government agencies that can provide them with other assistance to ensure their success.
    “We’re giving a marketing-based support because we are seeing a new breed of young business entrepreneurs who are starting a new activity and the others continuing their family’s businesses,” Pablo said.
    The 105 initial participants are children of owners of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) who will inherit the business, including first-time business owners of milk-tea, while some engaged in coffee selling.
    “Some are engaged in retail and some are into manufacturing,” Pablo said.
    She urged other interested youths to visit the DTI offices so that they can be profiled and provided the assistance they need. -- Liza Agoot/PNA