Go Negosyo founder Joey Concepcion announced recently that the non-profit will intensify its partnerships with the country’s largest business groups to align with government’s push to drive development through micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

“The MSME sector is one of the platforms being pushed aggressively as a driver for the country’s growth, and as we roll out more mentoring of the MSMEs, we will need mentors coming from the respected business groups,” said Concepcion at a meeting last February 12, 2024 with the heads of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) chapters in the National Capital Region. Leading the group were PCCI National Chairman George Barcelon, PCCI National President Nina Mangio, PCCI NCR Area Vice President Hernando Delizo, and PCCI NCR Immediate Past Vice President Tess Ngan Tian.

Also at the meeting was Undersecretary Cristina Roque, who is heading the newly formed Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Group. Usec Roque said that if the country manages to uplift only ten percent of MSMEs, “it will uplift the economy and this will be the success of the country.”

Members of top business organizations such as the PCCI, the Philippine Franchise Association, the Philippine Retailers Association, the Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, and many more form the pool of volunteers who mentor small and aspiring entrepreneurs during the various free public entrepreneurship mentoring events held regularly by Go Negosyo.

“Mentoring is helping MSMEs; our members see this whenever they attend the events and we feel proud that we have a platform to help them,” said PCCI National President Nina Mangio.

Go Negosyo announced at the beginning of the year that it plans to help at least 200,000 MSMEs by 2028 by giving them access to the three M’s of entrepreneurship – namely money (capital), markets, and mentoring – through its own programs, as well as in partnership with government and other members of the private sector. The programs include public entrepreneurship mentoring events, structured learning courses, online seminars, national summits, and programs focused on youth, women, OFWs, tourism, and digital technology. It also has programs held in cooperation with outreach programs of the government, such as its Youthpreneur and agri education projects with Department of Education, and its entrepreneurship mentoring during First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos’s LAB for All caravans.

The meeting with PCCI became an opportunity to align with the DTI the private sector’s efforts to scale up MSMEs. The PCCI officers in attendance also brought to Usec Roque’s attention the opportunities presented by the tourism sector, the trillion-dollar potentials and challenges of the country’s halal industry, and the need for industry data monitoring and evaluation to aid mapping and impact analysis, especially for the MSME sector.

Usec. Roque said that under her watch, there will be smooth coordination and cooperation with crucial agencies in her charge, such as the Bureau of Small and Medium Enterprise Development and Small Business Corporation.

Usec. Roque thanked Concepcion and the PCCI heads for consistently pushing for the development of the MSME sector. “Your dedication to MSMEs is very admirable, that someone could go this far for MSMEs, and do so consistently … is to be commended,” she said.