UP Mindanao Chancellor Lyre Anni Murao and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Region 11 Regional Director Romeo Castañaga signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to support local micro-, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSME) in ceremonies held in UP Mindanao on November 28, 2024. School of Management Dean Aurelia Luzviminda Gomez and DTI City Office Division Chief Lani Catalan served as witnesses to the memorandum.
The MOU for project ASCEND-11, or “Accelerating Success and Competitiveness of Enterprises in Davao Region,” aims to support local MSMEs with tailored solutions from academic endeavors of the UP Mindanao School of Management’s Master in Management program.
According to a DTI 2023 report, the MSMEs account for 99.6% of the Philippine industry, with micro-enterprises—those with assets of P3 million or less and employing between 1 to 9 people—making up 90.4%.
“MSMEs face many challenges, such as lack of access to finance, regulatory barriers, technological gaps, market access, human resource development, and economic shocks,” said ASCEND project lead Asst. Prof. Imee Marie Acopiado.
The MOU signing shows the collaborative commitment of DTI-11 and UP Mindanao to their shared vision of driving inclusive economic growth in the MSME sector.
“I am excited about the possibilities this partnership will bring,” said Chancellor Murao. “Through ASCEND-11, we will help accelerate the success and competitiveness of our local MSMEs and pave the way to a more resilient and prosperous economy,” she said.
“I am sure that this collaboration between DTI-XI and UP Mindanao will result in a dynamic synergy,” said Regional Director Castañaga. ‘This partnership will surely result in improved decision-making, more efficient resource allocation, and leave a lasting impact on our MSMEs,” he said.
A consultation session followed with experts listening to inquiries from the MSME representatives: Associate Prof. Dann Marie del Mundo for Food Innovation and Food Safety, Asst. Prof. Rodgessa Lopez for Human Resource Development, Asst. Prof. Thaddeus Acuña for Finance and Taxation, Rea Mae Bolongaita for Digital Marketing, Bob Owen Villarin for Digital Tools and Solutions, and Dyle Legaspi for Intellectual Property and Patents.
The photo above shows the proponents signing the MOU, namely (left-right) DTI City Office Division Chief Lani Catalan, DTI-11 Region 11 Regional Director Romeo Castañaga, Chancellor Lyre Anni Murao, and SOM Dean Aurelia Luzviminda Gomez.
The participants in the November 28, 2024, event
The experts and MSME representatives consultation session
#SDG4QualityEducation #SDG8DecentWorkAndEconomicGrowth