DTI brings YEP in Gentrep Z2

With USAID, GTZ, biz sectors

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Oct 12 (PIA) –Pushing youth entrepreneurship program (YEP) to the edge, the Department of Trade and Industry in Bohol (DTI Bohol) in cooperation with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) and the Department of Education, bring to Boholano youth the Bohol GentrepZ 2, the second batch of its program to give opportunities to out-of-school youth (OSY) here.

Bohol GentrepZ 2 is a pioneering DTI Bohol program in partnership with USAID, GTZ, DepED and the local government units a follow-through care for DepEd’s Alternative Learning System completers and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority graduates (TESDA) from their online courses to give them the opportunity to a better future.

Under the USAID’s Opportunity 2.0, the program offers Boholano OSYs and youth in 14 more cities across the Philippines the second opportunity of education that would lead to their successful employments or livelihood in the future.

A program funded by the USAID, Opportunity 2.0 attempts to improve the education, employment, and livelihood outcomes for the out-of-school youth in the Philippines until 2025.

We have seen an increase in OSYs, and leaving them might create something, so we conceptualized and organized programs for these youth, in Bohol GentrepZ 2, shares DTI Bohol Provincial Director Maria Soledad Balistoy, in her message to the second batch’s 14 OSY participants.

“While graduating from the ALS or TESDA online courses, these kids are given chances to choose on three options: further education, employment and entrepreneurship. The least opted for these options is entrepreneurship,” says Opportunity 2.0 coordinator for Bohol Lucille Alcala Dabhi, during the launch of the second batch of follow on activities held at the Jjs Seafoods Village October 11.

The DTI-led program adopts the Go-Negosyo and Philippine Competitiveness Council’s Kapatid Mentor ME Program aimed at helping Micro, Small and Medium Entrepreneurs to up-scale their business thru coaching and mentoring by business owners and practitioners on different functional areas of entrepreneurship.

Adopted on a local scale, mentoring and coaching program would be done by program partners in the Bohol Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Junior Chamber International Boholana Kisses, and successful business operators and owners who are willing to hand-hold these young entrepreneurs in their chosen business ventures.

“We wish to thank the DTI in their exemplary leadership in creating this Bohol GentrepZ 2, as an example other provinces could emulate, congratulations for being part of history in creating opportunities for our youth” hailed Alcala-Dabhi.

And while the DTI KMME Program includes 10 modules of the different aspects of business management and ethics, Bohol GentrepZ 2 uses nine modules spread across days of mentoring and coaching and capping with a crafting of a particular business plan, for presentation and critique by the mentors and coaches.

The DTI also gives an initial P8,000 for each participant who can complete the training, as initial starter fund, while BCCI accordingly promised additional assistance to the young entrepreneurs.

In their second day of sessions, Tagbilaran City Administrator John Geesnel Yap II, speaking for City Mayor Jane Yap committed the city’s unwavering support to the business sector in the city.

“We know that, wherever Tagbilaran City goes, Bohol goes to,” highlighting the pivotal role the city plays in the local economy.

As to the GentrepZ 2, he committed Tagbilaran City’s help through financial assistance to jumpstart these start-up businesses which the mentoring course could initiate. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)

YEP, IT IS. DTI Bohol Provincial Director Maria Soledad Balistoy exhorts the young OSY entrepreneurs to commit their time and full participation as they are to get free business mentoring from industry leaders in USAID Opportunity 2.0’s Gentrep Z2, now ongoing. (RAHC/PIA-7/Bohol)

FREE BUSINESS MENTORING. OSY ALS completers and TESDA Online courses graduates find yet another second chances in a better future outside the educational system with GentrepZ2, getting the free business coaching from the experts themselves. Here, their mentor is Rona Denque, CEO of the GreenThumb Farm and Alfresco Resto, with Lucille Dabhi, City Administrator John Geesenell Yap II, DTI Bohol Maria Soledad Balistoy and Gentreps focal person Balir Panong. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)