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As part of its 20th anniversary celebration, RAFI Micro-finance, Inc. (RMF) held its first leg of the Entrepreneurs’ Summit last November 10, 2018, at the Grand Convention Center Cebu with the theme “Empowering MSMEs towards Nation Building.”

The Summit brought together a total of 320 RMF client-entrepreneurs, guests and partners across Bohol, Cebu and Leyte provinces in order for them to be inspired by success stories of other social entrepreneurs, learn more about entrepreneurship and build networks with other entrepreneurs and possible business partners.

Senator Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV graced the one-day Summit as its Keynote Speaker. During his speech, Senator Bam expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the micro-finance institutions such as RMF who provided access to financial services for the vulnerable and disadvantaged. As someone who has championed the MFI-NGO Act, Sen. Bam emphasized the importance of micro-entrepreneurs and their contribution to the progress of the country’s economy. He ended his speech by congratulating the RMF clients who were able to elevate their businesses through RMF’s programs.   

The Summit highlights the motivational talks from entrepreneurs and government agencies, which tackled the different success stories of social entrepreneur Cherrie Atillano, CEO & Founder of AgreaPH and Cebu-based businessman Rey Calooy, Founder and President of RNC Marketing.

The participants were also able to learn the legal path of building and improving their business by tapping different available government services. Ella Adolfo of Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) talked on the process on how to get the business name; while Jocelyn Cabahug of Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Region 7 shared TESDA’s Coke Star Program.

For Jonar Dorado, RMF Strategy Management Officer, the goal of the summit is to create an avenue for entrepreneurs to learn — the business trends, innovative operating models and technological advancements, and to be inspired from the stories of other successful entrepreneurs, and to network building with other entrepreneurs, mentors and partners.

“The Entrepreneurs Summit is one of the largest activities organized by RMF. Gathering the entrepreneurs, business mentors, private and government agencies in bolstering the growth of MSMEs,” Dorado said.

Since 2016, RMF’s mission of empowering its clients and elevate the lives of their member’s families have been expanding rapidly in the whole of the Visayan region. It is now serving more than 255,000 clients and operating in the areas of Biliran, Bohol, Cebu, Iloilo, Leyte, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Northern Samar, Samar, Siquijor, and Southern Leyte.

“We are holding the activity in Cebu as the strategic location in the Visayas, but as RMF expands to other regions, we will also conduct similar activity to other provinces in Luzon and Mindanao as part of RMF’s commitment to elevate the lives by providing stable and rewarding livelihood to the families,” Dorado added. 

The major highlight of the event was the awarding of the first Mauswagon Entrepreneur Awards in Small business and Micro-business category. There were about 63 nominations received, which were then shortlisted to three finalists per category. 

Claudia Celis, an RMF client for 14 years, was awarded as the first Mauswagon Entrepreneur Award for Micro-business category while Maria Medequillo won the Mauswagon Entrepreneur Award for Small business category.

Both RMF clients have shown courage and determination to improve their businesses in the hopes of helping other people in their communities. They were both awarded a cash prize worth Php 50,000, a portrait, and plaque and a training package while the top 2 runners-up received a cash prize and a certificate.

The program was concluded with the launching of the RMF@20 celebration by RMF Director for Operations Ailyne May Lim. As a key takeaway for the attendees, Lim emphasized on the RMF’s fervent desire to see its client-entrepreneurs prosper and thereby create a ripple effect of that prosperity to their respective families and communities. 

The Entrepreneurs Summit is a kick-off to the several upcoming activities that the RAFI Micro-finance, Inc. has in store for its clients in celebration of its 20 years of elevating lives of micro-entrepreneurs and their families.

RAFI Micro-finance, Inc. (RMF) celebrates its 20 years of elevating the lives of Micro-entrepreneurs. RMF is a program of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI) that provides the vulnerable and disadvantaged with comprehensive financial services that enable them to have a stable and rewarding means of livelihood to elevate their quality of life.