Republic Act No. 10644 or the Go Negosyo Act was enacted last 15 July 2014 with the aim to promote inclusive growth, and reduce poverty by encouraging the establishment of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) that facilitate local job creation, production and trade in the Philippines.
To better equip MSMEs in making their businesses more sustainable, and in line with the Go Negosyo Act, the Department of Trade of Industry (DTI) in cooperation with the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship (PCE) launched the Kapatid Mentor ME (Micro Entrepreneur) Program across the country. It is a mentoring and coaching program covering different modules, including a module on Business Law.
ACCRALAW supported the launch of the Mentor Me Program in 2016 and its Davao Branch lawyers, Myra S. Montecalvo-Quilatan, Genie Celini D. Nuevo, and Martin Luigi G. Samson have been accredited as mentors for the Business Law module. Different sessions have been conducted in key cities in Mindanao.
For the month of May, lectures for the Business Law module were given in Mati City, Davao Oriental, Tagum City, Davao del Norte, Davao City and Nabunturan, Compostela Valley Province, and Digos, Davao del Sur. For the month of June, lectures were also given in Malita, Davao Occidental by ACCRALAW’s accredited mentors, Attys. Quilatan, Nuevo and Samson.
Atty. Quilatan, a leading practitioner in Davao City, served as a mentor-panelist at the Business Improvement Plan defense by this year’s mentees of Nabunturan, Compostela Province held last 6 July 2018.
Mentees represent varied business industries, including food and beverage, travel and tourism, lending, farming, engineering works, construction, and water resource, among others. Through an understanding of laws on obligations and contracts, it is hoped that MSMEs will be able to grow and sustain their businesses.