CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga—At least 18,690 existing and potential entrepreneurs benefited from 378 training sessions given by the SME Roving Academy (SMERA) of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in 2016.
“Our Nueva Ecija Provincial Office had 54 training sessions, with 3,679 participants; while Bulacan had 61 sessions, with 2,851 attendees; and Pampanga had 49 sessions, with 3,437 participants,” DTI Regional Director Judith Angeles said.
DTI Tarlac had 84 training sessions with 3,560 participants; Zambales, 55 sessions, with 1,702 participants; Bataan, 55 sessions, with 2,344 participants; and Aurora, 20 sessions, with 1,119 participants.
“For 2017, we are targeting 365 SMERA sessions, where Aurora will have 25 sessions; Bataan, 50 sessions; Bulacan, 60 sessions; and Nueva Ecija, 65 training sessions,” Angeles said.
Pampanga will also be conducting 50 sessions this year; Tarlac, 75 sessions; and Zambales, 40 sessions.
DTI provides capability-building sessions in the SMERA program to support the growth and competitiveness of micro, small and medium enterprises.
Participants are trained in areas such as product development, visual merchandising, food labeling and food safety, money and cash-flow management, financing forum, taxation, good manufacturing practices, bar coding, business ethics and accounting.
“Entrepreneurs who are interested to participate in the training sessions may go to their nearest DTI provincial office and Negosyo Centers to inquire on how to participate in the said trainings,” Angeles said.