By Mai Gevera
DAVAO CITY– Maximizing social responsibility among macro entrepreneurs, the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) is urging small businesses to invest on business advising.
Funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) through PBSPs program Corporate Volunteers for Enterprise Development (CVED), micro enterprises can now avail the services of an expert for a very minimal cost.
PBSP associate director Ma. Patricia Calilong stressed that business advising is proven to be a vital part of the whole package in starting and sustaining business. We want our small businessmen to treat business advising as part of their investment.
Volunteer Advisers (VAs) are PBSP members who have offered their services, expertise, and time to assist small clients.
This is our way of showing social responsibility to the micro enterprises by utilizing the rich resources and talents of Filipino professionals as volunteer business advisers.
The small business clients need only spend for out of the pocket expenses of the volunteer adviser. Calilong explained that people should take advantage of this as hiring a business adviser on their own would cost them so much.
An example cited is the how a small hotel paid only P350 for the software system that was brought about by the volunteer adviser to further improve the flow of business.
The PBSP is catering to almost 75 clients nationwide who have trusted on the services delivered through the projects and programs of the said organization.
The said group is currently employing the clustering strategy which it has proven to be more effective. We group enterprises according to their needs. And we choose industry clusters which are more progressive on their planning and thinking., said Calilong.
In Mindanao, the hotel industry cluster is seen to be the most promising in terms of accomplishment and potentiality.
However, other sectors have also been tapped such as tourism, food processing, weaving, and fisheries.
The program has also promoted convergence as it has strengthen its ties with national government agencies as well as the local government.
In clustering industries, the PBSP has connected with the Department of Trade and Industry to maximize the technology that the office has, and it has also coordinated with the LGU to tap resources.
Currently, we are sticking with the program One Town One Product that allows LGUs to focus on the champion industry set for each town., she said.
Calilong bared that CVED is just one of the many programs being implemented by PBSP as its way of showing commitment to poverty alleviation.
The said group has awarded 15 volunteer advisers yesterday (March 23) for their contribution to the strengthening of micro and small enterprises.
Among those awarded and recognized were: Stephen Antig, Mary Fe Arquiza, Rosfe Badoy, Alfonso Bantilan, Atty Maria Lina Baura, Primitiva Hilot, Jocelyn Joson, Rito Opol, Richard Ortiz, Joel Posadas, Engr. Robert Quinto, Leilanie Tiu, Oliver Tiu, Jose de Vera, and Myrna Viado. (PIAXI/Mai Gevera)
