Articles

By Chrysee Samillano

Globe Telecom awarded livelihood grants to three outstanding women microentrepreneurs of the Kabalikat Para sa Maunlad na Buhay Inc. Saturday in Victorias City during the KMBI Microentrepreneur’s Summit 2010 held for the first time in Negros Occidental.

KMBI is a group which provides sustainable microfinance, training, and demand driven non-financial services to small businesses nationwide.

Chosen as recipients of P20,000 livelihood grants each from Globe as well as business coaching and consultancy assistance from KMBI were Lydia Malot of Calinan, Davao City; Leticia Tabo-tabo of Dumanlas, Buhangin, Davao City; and Gina Abarca of Daet, Camarines Norte.

Malot is a nata de coco maker in the morning and a values teacher in Calinan National High School in the afternoon.

She started with 300 trays of nata de coco and had slowly made her business grow. As of today, she has two regular and 13 contractual employees. The plant operates 3 to 5 times a week, depending on the need of the market.

Tabo-tabo is a nurse by profession and a KMBI center treasurer. She is also a money-lender, uniform and ID, rice and meat dealer/supplier, grocery middleman, candle supplier, and a co-owner of a manpower services company.

Abarca started her juice drinks, fish and vinegar sauce business in 2007 and even established outlets for both wholesalers and retailers. Recently, she diversified her business by producing various nata de coco products such as nata de coco flavored juice drink.

The competition for livelihood grants was opened to all KMBI members all over the country and the criteria for the selection include the financial viability of the product – 40 percent, community benefit – 40 percent, and innovation – 20 percent.

Last year, Globe Bridging Communities, the corporate social responsibility of Globe, introduced the livelihood grant through its Enterprise Development Program to help sustain and expand community enterprise.

KMBI chairperson and president Damiana Exiomo said they have 70 branches all over the country and about 240,000 members.

She said they want to partner with Globe to alleviate the plight of the poor and because Globe provides them the motivation by giving awards and cash gifts to model entrepreneurs.

Globe Community Relations head Jeffrey Tarayao said they believe that it is in partnering with KMBI where they can invest meaningfully because they know where resources should go because they have the expertise.

He said their partners are mostly found in areas where they have cellsites.

Tarayao said about 80-90 percent of their micro finance clients in the Philippines are women.

KMBI executive director Edgardo Mercedes said they have decided to empower women in the communities so they can help their families.*CGS

Repost from: http://www.visayandailystar.com/2010/October/25/businessnews1.htm