March 10, 2017
The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and Coca-Cola Philippines are set to give some 40,000 scholarships to women this year who own sari-sari stores and “carinderias” nationwide as part of the Micro Business Enterprise program.
TESDA Director General, Secretary Guiling “Gene” Mamondiong said that the program dubbed Sari-Sari Store Training and Access to Resources (STAR) aims to uplift the women's livelihood via micro-retail business.
"The program is able to provide access to business skills and life training scholarships; access to business capital and assets; and access to peer mentoring support," according to the STAR Program Partnership of TESDA and Coca-Cola Philippines.
Of the 40,000 scholarships, the STAR program is eyeing the wives of policemen and soldiers to be part of the project. Also included were distressed women and returning OFWs.
Last year, more than 83,000 women micro-retailers availed of the STAR Program in 46 cities and provinces. By 2020, TESDA and Coca-Cola hope to assist more than 200,000 women in the business program.
Also, more or less 5,000 sari-sari store and carinderia owners in Davao Region participated in the program dubbed “We Make Change Work for Women” as part of the 2017 Women’s Month Celebration held at the USEP Gym Obrero, Davao City on March 10.
Aside from TESDA and Coca-Cola, other groups who joined the celebration were the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Philippine Commission on Women (PCW), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), National Reintegration Commission on OFWs (NCRO). Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship, Inc. (PCE-Go Negosyo), Tagum City Council of Women, Inc. (TCCWI), First Community Cooperative (FICCO) at Philippine Association of Stores and Carinderia Owners (PASCO-Davao City).
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