Plantersbank focuses on capacity-building initiatives for SMEs

MANILA, Philippines - Plantersbank has been focusing on capacity building as the backbone of their nationwide advocacies and initiatives for entrepreneurs and business owners.

Capacity-building pertains to further strengthening the skills of SME owners, keeping them updated on the latest trends in the industry, providing inspirational and motivational talks, and other similar efforts that  help them expand their businesses.

“These programs came about because we saw that even the most established and successful SMEs are still hungry to learn,” says Plantersbank chairman and CEO Ambassador Jesus P. Tambunting. “Growing one’s business through continuous education and updated knowledge is indeed very vital in keeping a dynamic SME industry in the country, and we at Plantersbank see this as our responsibility and commitment,” he adds.

Included in Plantersbank’s capacity-building initiatives is the SME Speaker Series, which imparts winning management techniques and business skills delivered by top motivational speakers. It equips entrepreneurs with the latest management trends and gives them tips for capacity-building, as well as expands their network for possible partnerships.

Now in its sixth year, the SME Speaker Series for 2013 kicked off with a session featuring renowned motivational business speaker Anthony Pangilinan, at the Lewis Grand Hotel in Angeles City, Pampanga. Under the theme “Best Practice to Next Practice: Leading the Way in Business Innovation,” Pangilinan shared insights into relevant topics affecting SMEs, such as social media, the Internet, branding and the creative process. More than 300 entrepreneurs from manufacturing, trade and hospitality businesses in the Central Luzon attended.

The SME Academy is another capacity-building initiative of Plantersbank that offers lectures and learning sessions on marketing, accounting and finance, taxation and human relations. The SME Academy was developed to complement the SME Speaker Series with more practical skills for continued learning.

The first leg of the SME Academy this year focused on financial and business planning for entrepreneurs in Northern Luzon. Dubbed “Financial Management 101 for SMEs,” the session was held in La Trinidad, Benguet to coincide with the annual Strawberry Festival in the region, as well as with the inauguration of the La Trinidad Agro Trade Fair. It was held in cooperation with the Department of Trade and Industry-Baguio and the Municipality of La Trinidad. Most attendees were micro entrepreneurs and start-ups who benefitted greatly from learning about personal and business finance, as well as the different financing options available to get them started with their business expansion plans.

“Plantersbank has always been an advocate of entrepreneurship, this is why we continuously come out with capacity-building programs that will enable our entrepreneurs to further grow their business,” says Plantersbank executive vice president Ma. Agnes J. Angeles, who was also one of the resource speakers in the Benguet SME Academy session.

Recently, Plantersbank also opened the SME Center for Asia, an integrated information and training hub for entrepreneurs and financial institutions catering to the SME sector. The SME Center for Asia offers industry information, economic updates and training facilities for both entrepreneurs and SME-centered financial institutions. It will also offer seminars and trainings on taxation, marketing, finance and succession planning.

Both SME Speaker Series and SME Academy are set to tour more regions and key cities this year, to reach out to SME owners across the nation as part of Plantersbank’s genuine commitment to nation-building.