MANILA – The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), in partnership with beverage firm Coca-Cola, recently launched the Centers for Entrepreneurship (CFE) in Tagum City, Davao del Norte, aiming to empower sari-sari store owners in Mindanao.
"Through the establishment of CFE, we aim to achieve sustainability of the STAR (Sari-Sari Store Training and Access Resources) program which intends to equip sari-sari store owners and other micro entrepreneurs with the skills needed for their businesses to succeed," TESDA Partnerships and Linkages Office Executive Director Floramel Joy Songsong told the Philippine News Agency on Wednesday.
Songsong, who also chairs the iSTAR program, the upgraded version of STAR, said the establishment of CFE seeks to professionalize the entrepreneurs in the communities "and see less of 'sira-sira' or 'sara-sara' stores, but more of successful sari-sari store and carinderia owners."
Coca-Cola has been TESDA's partner in the STAR and iSTAR programs. STAR was open to women sari-sari store owners, while the upgraded version, iSTAR, accommodates both men and women and anyone willing to start a business.
Both programs provide training, peer mentoring and access to resources, but iSTAR can also be availed of digitally.
Songsong said that aside from Coca-Cola, they have also partnered with micro financing institutions (MFIs) in the establishment of CFEs.
The CFE was earlier launched in Cagayan de Oro, Bacolod, Nueva Ecija, Naga and the National Capital Region.
"MFIs help in the establishment and maintenance of facility, and would require their clients to undergo the training on entrepreneurship before their loan application," she said.
Coca-Cola provides counterpart funding for the development of training modules and in running the program, Songsong added.
Meanwhile, Songsong said the CFE launch in Tagum City is the last of its soft launch series.
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