2023 October – As part of a shared advocacy to support aspiring and existing micro-entrepreneurs, and enable them to pursue business ventures that are responsive to current challenges, BDO Foundation recently forged a partnership with LINK Center for the Deaf for a training initiative aimed at enhancing the capabilities of micro-small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).

Empowering MSMEs. The memorandum of agreement was signed by (from left) BDO Foundation program director Rosemarie Espinosa, BDO Foundation trustee Ma. Corazon Mallillin, BDO Foundation president Mario Deriquito, LINK president Carolyn Ui, LINK managing director Marical Ui and LINK trustee Bernadette Gallego.

A non-governmental organization, LINK supports the holistic development of people who are deaf through programs in the areas of sign language training, teacher enhancement, educational support, and enterprise development, among others.

The agreement formalized the partners’ collaboration for the development of a training program for MSMEs, which will be made accessible to micro-entrepreneurs including persons with disabilities.

Funded by BDO Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of BDO Unibank, the training program will be composed of eight modules, covering such topics as business planning, marketing strategies, financial management, customer relations, and other aspects of operating successful small businesses.

The foundation will provide these materials and a series of training of trainers’ sessions to interested implementing partners such as local governments, NGOs, church groups, and other institutions serving the MSME sector.