Following last year’s run of the Small Business Counselors Course (SBCC) for Region 7 in Cebu City, a second batch of Negosyo Center counselors participated in the same course on 24-28 October 2016 in the Queen City of the South. The 40 participants were comprised of staff of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) as well as local government units from across the region.
As part of their major output, the participants visited and assessed three enterprises: Cebu Federation of Dairy Cooperatives, Titay’s Liloan Rosquillos and Delicacies Inc., and CSE Capiz Seashell Enterprise.
While the SBCC essentially equipped the participants with the technical know-how of being an effective business counselor, it also served to inspire the participants to further improve themselves as part of the DTI and Negosyo Center team. DTI-Cebu’s Erica Dell P. Sancho shared: “Learning is an investment. When you go back, you are more equipped to face your clients, work with them, and help them. And remember, we don’t compete. We complement.”
For his part, DTI-Siquijor’s Jebe R. Mag-usara, Jr. added: “As we go back to our respective areas, I hope we will bring with us all the learnings from this course. These will be a big help in our future endeavors and our practice as counselors in DTI.”
To further inspire and challenge the SBCC graduates, Assistant Regional Director Nelia F. Navarro shared the secret to her “staying power” in DTI: “I love my job! You meet a lot of people. You can help a lot of people. I was given a lot of opportunities, and there were many challenges. And because I love my country, I need to help in nation building.”
Meanwhile, celebrating the successful conduct of the SBCC, ARD Navarro commended the participants, “I’m really happy with the results of the training. I’m very impressed. I congratulate everyone.”