Key stakeholders commit support for SME Summit

Sunday, June 12, 2011 12:47 PM ADBM Resources
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DTI Secretary Gregory L. Domingo has announced that preparations for the SME Development Week celebrations this year are well underway, with commitments of support from key stakeholders.

In particular, the SME Summit, scheduled for 07 July 2011 at the Philippine Trade Training Center, is expected to serve as a springboard for the SME Development Agenda of the Aquino administration.

The morning plenary session, which will showcase SME Success Stories, will focus on how private and public sector partnership can nurture award-winning, world-class businesses from ordinary citizens.

The first plenary session will highlight an Enabling Business Environment as one of the key components for SME success. Lined up as resource persons are Jose Sales de Villa, proprietor of Giga Enterprises, an award-winning producer of organic wellness products; Emilio Tingson, a licensing officer from Ormoc City; and Sergio Ortiz Luis, Jr., chairman of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce & Industry.

The next sharing session on Access to Finance will start off with a presentation by Rommel T. Juan, president and chief executive officer of Binalot Fiesta Foods, Inc., a local fastfood chain serving favorite Pinoy dishes wrapped in banana leaves. After him will follow Dr. Ramon Quesada, chairman of the Small Business Corporation, a government agency that provides liquidity support and financing facilities for SMEs. The third speaker will be Agnes Angeles, a senior vice-president of Planters Development Bank, a privately-owned bank offering products and services specially geared for SME promotion.

The third sharing session, on Access to Markets, will start off with Venus C. Genson Ph. D., managing partner of Venus Crafts, an exporter of fine Philippine furniture. Rosario Virginia C. Gaetos, executive director of the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM) will also discuss the programs and services for promoting Filipino exports, while Josephine T. Locsin, president of the Association of Negros Producers (ANP) will present their experiences in expanding their market presence.

The final session on Productivity and Efficiency, will have the following speakers: Ret. Col. Virgilio C. Jose of Vjandep Bakeshop, based in Camiguin Island, will share how their shanty-like factory was able to expand into a modern production facility with assistance from the Department of Science & Technology (DOST). His talk will be complemented by presentations from Dr. Teresita C. Fortuna, NCR regional director of the Department of Science & Technology (DOST), and Joel C. Amante, president of the Philippine Total Quality Management Foundation as resource persons.

The SME Summit is expected to bring together entrepreneurs, MSMED Council members, local government units, trade and industry associations, business development services providers, and other SME advocates.

Petron Lakbay Alalay supports global initiative for road safety

Thursday, June 2, 2011 12:06 PM ADBM Resources
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Petron Lakbay Alalay, the county’s longest-running and most extensive motorist assistance program, has aligned its activities to strongly support the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020, launched on 11 May 2011. The campaign was rolled out in the Philippines under the auspices of the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC), the Philippine Global Road Safety Partnership (PGRSP), and international agencies such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

One of the key elements during the launch was the presentation of the Philippine Road Safety Action Plan (PRSAP), formulated by the DOTC in partnership with other government agencies and private sector representatives.

The global road safety advocacy includes a Road Safety Pledge that states: “ I support the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020. As a road user, I pledge: Not to use my cell phone while driving; Not to drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs; To always use a seatbelt while driving; To maintain my car in good, roadworthy condition; Not to be goaded into road rage by aggressive drivers and motorcyclists; Not to throw garbage out of my car; To always observe and follow road laws, rules and regulations.”

Petron Lakbay Alalay, which was recently expanded from a Holy Week motorist emergency assistance activity into a full-blown summer road safety program, inherently supports the objectives of the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020. In particular, the free safety checks offered at participating Petron stations helps ensure that vehicles are well-maintained for worry-free travel. Petron also has a Mobile Lakbay Alalay project that sends road safety tips as well as car care and service reminders to registered mobile phone users.

Through its network of more than 1,700 service stations—the largest in the oil industry—Petron is in an excellent position to further promote the road safety advocacy in response to the worldwide call to action to prevent road accidents and save lives.


Generika strengthens market presence; offers more than just generics

Tuesday, May 17, 2011 4:13 PM ADBM Resources
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Generika Drugstore, a pioneer in the retail distribution of quality generic medicines in the country, is strengthening its market presence this year through store expansion and brand-building activities.

Founded in 2003, the Generika Drugstore chain aims to provide for the health care needs of Filipino families by offering affordable but quality products with superior customer service.

Affordable Quality
Generika Drugstore not only offers generic medicines as a value-for-money alternative to branded products. It also ensures that consumers get quality medicines that carry the same active ingredients and are as beneficial as branded products.

Generika Drugstore has strong internal standards for screening and monitoring the quality of medicines offered in its drugstores. It carries only BFAD-approved products and verifies that its suppliers comply with good manufacturing practices.

Since temperature and other storage conditions may affect the efficacy of medicines, Generika Drugstore warehouses and stores are air-conditioned to maintain drug potency.

Affordable quality, not lowest price is the Generika Drugstore mission.

Professional Service
Distinguishing it above other neighborhood boticas is the superior level of service offered by Generika Drugstore. In-store personnel are trained to offer professional counseling to customers, giving them advice on how to use drugs safely and effectively.

All Generika Drugstore outlets offer free blood pressure monitoring, while blood sugar screening (FBS/RBS) as well as cholesterol screening can be availed for a very minimal fee. Generika Drugstore conducts Libreng Konsulta, Libreng Bunot days as part of its outreach program, while generic awareness presentations are held to educate senior citizens and other groups about generic drugs.

All stores are fully computerized and use a powerful and user-friendly point-of-sale (POS) application that was developed in-house and continues to be enhanced for the benefit of franchisees and their customers.

Beyond Generics
In addition to quality generic medicines, Generika Drugstore also carries branded medicines, medical supplies, galenicals (or herbal formulations), and selected consumer goods — all at very competitive prices. Thus, Generika Drugstore offers a wider product selection and are more complete drugstores compared to similar small outlets.

For added customer convenience, selected Generika Drugstore outlets offer free delivery service for a minimum P300 purchase of generics.

Filipino Entrepreneurship
Starting out with a single outlet in Alabang in 2004, Generika Drugstore expanded to 16 company-owned stores strategic locations in Metro Manila, Cavite and Laguna by 2008.

Building on the success of their business model, Generika opened up franchising opportunities to Filipino entrepreneurs in May 2008. Generika now has 170 operational soon-to-open stores all over the country. Many franchise applications are being processed and more locations will be opened as the company is geared to expand more aggressively in the coming months and years.

Its goal is to become the leading national drugstore chain that performs a vital service to the community by providing access to affordable, quality medicines as well as superior service driven by a strong sense of social purpose.

Multi-Awarded Drugstore Chain
Generika Drugstore was the national winner in the drugstore chain category of the DSAP (Drugstore Association of the Philippines) Quality Award in 2008. In 2009, the BFAD (Bureau of Food & Drugs) Quality Seal Award was granted to five Generika Drugstore branches, while the Generika-Soledad branch was named overall winner for the drugstore chain category.

Entrepreneur Magazine recognized Generika Drugstore with the Best in Franchise Support and Most Promising Franchise in 2009. In 2008, it named Generika Drugstore president Teodoro L. Ferrer as one of the Top Ten Outstanding Entrepreneurs. Mr. Teodoro was also one of the finalists in the prestigious Ernest & Young Entrepreneur of the Year-Philippines 2010.

Everyone’s Vision Petron: Lakbay Pinoy

Wednesday, May 4, 2011 1:23 PM ADBM Resources
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Petron Student Art Competition now open for entries
Everyone’s Vision Petron is an exhibition and competition for all young and budding artists. Themed Lakbay Pinoy —Journeys to Remember, Pathways to Rediscover, this year’s competition focuses on life journeys expressed symbolically by roads, highways and byways. It can be a mountain path representing a journey to success, or a zigzag lane symbolizing seasons of change. It can be a forest trail sparking childhood memories, or a nostalgic route conjuring reminiscences of student life.

Petron believes that everyone has his/her own unique perspective on things and that this uniqueness can be expressed in so many different ways. This is the inspiration behind Everyone’s Vision Petron — the belief that free artistic expression remains intrinsic to nation-building.

Everyone’s Vision Petron is open to all talented students enrolled in a regular university or college course, or in tutorial and photography classes. Student artists may compete in three categories: Painting (oil and water-based media), photography, and t-shirt design.

In the painting category, six Grand Prize winners will each receive P50,000; for the colored photography category, six Grand Prize winners will each receive P30,000; and in the t-shirt design category, three Grand Prize winners will each receive P30,000. All winners will also receive a trophy/plaque designed by National Artist Napoleon Abueva.

Application forms are available at participating Petron service stations and bulk plants nationwide, or from the Secretariat Office (c/o Studio 5 Designs, 28 Paseo de Roxas cor Jupiter St, Bel-Air Village, Makati City, telephone 02-8909318). The form may also be downloaded from the website: www.visionpetron.com.

Deadline for submission of entries is 18 July 2011 at Petron bulk plants nationwide or 25 July 2011 at the Project Secretariat.

AVT launches custom dashboard set-ups and GPS tracking system

Sunday, April 24, 2011 1:40 PM ADBM Resources
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AVT, the leading OE supplier of multimedia and navigation systems in the Philippine market, was one of the major crowd-drawers in the recently-concluded Manila International Auto Show (MIAS) held last April 7-10, 2011, at the World Trade Center Complex.

Techie car owners were treated to the latest in-car multimedia/information systems at the AVT booth, which showcased the highly-popular AVT Navigator devices as well as new products developed by the AVT R&D team.

Introduced at the event were the next must-have automotive accessories for local car buffs: AVT custom dashboard set-ups. Designed to replace factory-installed 2-din head units, AVT now offers a sophisticated multimedia information system that integrates navigation with audio-video capabilities in a customized package that is a perfect fit for the vehicle dashboard. Another add-on option is AVT’s customized backing-up cameras. AVT customized head units and camera set-ups are available for various car brands/models.

AVT Navigator devices enjoyed brisk sales at MIAS, indicating the motoring public’s increasing reliance on this travel aid. The country’s first-ever GPS navigation system with local support for updated maps of Metro Manila and the country’s key cities and major travel destinations, all AVT Navigator models feature a high-resolution touch screen, SD card slot, multi-media functionality, and voice prompt technology.

Continuing improvements by the iNAV support team have expanded map coverage to 130,000 points of interest nationwide, almost 100% of Metro Manila road networks, and updated maps for over 200 key cities and municipalities in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Currently, only iNAV maps feature the unique junction view, which provides a street-level image of critical waypoints. The latest firmware upgrade also now incorporates house/establishment number for more accurate route information.

Building on their local mapping strength, iNAV also introduced prototypes of their iNAV Tracking systems that are currently being tested for consumer release later this year. Designed to offer affordable 27/7 real-time GPS tracking, the devices include personal, vehicle and asset trackers for greater security and peace of mind. iNAV Tracker devices will be offered for personal and industrial users within the next few months.

AVT (which stands for Audio-Video Technology) specializes in premium audio-visual entertainment systems for mobile applications. In addition to navigation systems, the company will soon be launching a range of mobile tracking devices for vehicle and personal security. AVT offers a wide range of in-car mobile electronics, including display monitors, DVD players, digital and analog terrestrial receivers, sound processor/high-power amplifiers, specialist speakers, and AV controllers and accessories to suit all types of in-vehicle installations. For the mobile entertainment market, it also carries all-in-one LCD DVD players in various screen sizes to meet every budget and application. Aside from consumer products that retail in car dealer accessories shops, AVT is also an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) for many of the country’s leading car brands. iNAV Philippines Corporation is a subsidiary company dedicated to providing mapping support exclusively for AVT navigation devices. For more information, please visit www.avt.ph and www.inav.ph.

Petron Lakbay Alalay: Free check-up for a safer trip

Sunday, April 17, 2011 2:05 PM ADBM Resources
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Petron Lakbay Alalay wants to give you a safer trip to your summer destination by offering free service check-ups from mid-March until the end of May.

The free 15-point service check-up is offered at participating Petron service stations and car care centers nationwide and is part of Petron’s safety advocacy to help motorists prepare for safe, worry free travel. 

The free safety check, which covers tire pressure, oil and radiator water level, and brakes inspection, helps ensure that vehicles are roadworthy and in good running condition. No purchase is required to avail of these services, which is available to all motorists, absolutely free of charge.

Petron Lakbay Alalay’s commitment to promoting road safety for everyone is assured with the assignment of a dedicated mechanic assigned to render the free vehicle check at all participating service stations nationwide. All you have to do is drive into one of the 118 stations displaying the Petron Lakbay Alalay Free Safety Check streamer. There are 48 participating stations in Metro Manila, 16 stations in northern Luzon, 10 stations in southern Luzon, 29 stations in the Visayas, and 15 stations in Mindanao.

In addition to the free safety checks, Petron volunteers and partner expressways will offer emergency roadside assistance in strategically-located Petron stations and base camps inside the major tollways including North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX), South Luzon Expressway (SLEX), Star Tollway, and Coastal Road.

Petron employees and dealers have also signed up for selected “Weekends of Volunteerism” during the summer holidays as their way of reaching out to Filipino motorists and giving them the Petron service that they deserve.

Summer road-trippers will be pleasantly surprised with Petron’s promo tie-up with the major tollways, billed as “Tollways Instant Win – Free Bunot”. Every Sunday until the end of May 2011, customers who fill up with P1,000 worth of any Petron fuel gets a chance to win instant prizes such as Cool Air gum, Tiger biscuits, Magnolia water, Magnolia chocolait, and San Mig coffee. This promotion is further intensified during Holy Week as it becomes a daily activity in the participating stations.

Petron Lakbay Alalay is celebrating its silver anniversary this year and is the longest-running motorist assistance program in the country. Run by Petron employee-volunteers as part of the company’s “volunteerism in action” philosophy, the pioneering public service activity has been replicated by other automotive and oil companies. The term Lakbay Alalay has, in fact, entered daily terminology as a generic term for various motorist assistance activities offering free mechanical help, communications support, medical services, clean restrooms and other services. Lakbay Alalay is a registered trademark of Petron Corporation.

2nd Petron Sprint 4T Endurance & Economy Run

Tuesday, April 12, 2011 10:15 AM ADBM Resources
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Best fuel efficiency is 67.14-km per liter

2nd Petron Sprint 4T Endurance & Economy Run Winners, at the awarding ceremonies held on 06 February 2011, at Prince Hotel, Baguio City. In photo are ATPI president Francis Rivera (extreme left), Petron AVP-marketing Ana Neri (2nd from left), Petron lubricants general manager Conrad Rivera (2nd from right), and ATPI director Hubert Soriano (extreme right).

With its emphasis on safety and proper adherence to public riding safety rules and regulations, the 2nd Petron Sprint 4T Endurance an Economy Run, held last 05 February 2011, attracted a field of 306 entries in eight classes.

The most fuel-efficient run was registered by Mark Paul San Pascual, who was able to achieve 67.14-km/li in a Honda Dash 110cc, topping a field of 67 riders in Class 1 (100-115cc).

Topping the other classes were: Class 2 (116-125cc) – Jesusa Ramos in a Honda XRM 125cc, with 57.09-km/li; Class 3 (126-150cc) – Glenn Mora in a Yamaha Sniper 135cc, with 61.57-km/li; Class 4 (151-250cc) – Orland Lim in a Bajaj Rouser 200cc, with 51.76-km/li; Class 5 (251-500cc) – Emmanuel Balmes in a Sym Citycom 300cc, with 32.62-km/li; Class 6 (501-750cc) – Jun Santiago in a BMW 650GS 650cc, with 29.16-km/li; Class 7 (751-999cc) – Baltazar Usis in a BMW F800GS 800cc, with 28.64-km/li; and Class 8 (0ver 1000cc) – Joseph Ching in a BMW R1200RT 1200cc, with 25.83-km/li.

The 2nd Petron Sprint 4T Endurance and Economy Run required competitors to travel a distance of 750-kilometers with the most economical fuel consumption at the most reasonable time. Taking off from Petron-Diego Silang, the riders proceeded to Valenzuela, Bulacan and took McArthur Highway through the provinces of Pampanga, Bataan, Zambales, Pangasinan, Nueva Ecija, Benguet and Mountain Province. Nineteen Petron service stations along the route were designated as official filling stations and checkpoints to verify that the participants followed the correct route and prescribed speed. The final checkpoint was at the Petron service station in Kisad, Baguio City.

Awarding ceremonies were held on 06 February 2011, at the Prince Hotel in Baguio City. The top 3 finishers for each class received trophies, cash prizes, Certificates of Accomplishment and t-shirt. The top 10 finishers in each class received a Petron Sprint 4T vest.

Petron Sprint 4T motorcycle oil comes in three variants to meet the different performance requirements of four-stroke motorcycles operating under moderate to severe driving conditions. These are the top-of-the-line Sprint 4T Enduro for the racing experience; Sprint 4T Rider for riding dependability; and Sprint 4T Extra for reliable performance.

WRU GPS Tracking and Navigation was the event’s official partner for live GPS tracking, and provided large-screen LCD monitors/projectors at the start and finish points. They also provided live monitoring of the competitors with real-time updates every 3 minutes and public broadcast via the internet on the event website www.sprint4trun.com.

German bestseller Liqui Moly provides for all your vehicle needs

Friday, April 8, 2011 2:17 PM ADBM Resources
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German bestselling brand Liqui Moly, which offers a range of products consisting of motor oils, additives, vehicle care and service products, is now available in the Philippines through its exclusive distributor European Advanced Technik Corporation. Liqui Moly prides itself in being one of the few full-range retailers in the vehicle sector, with all products actually “Made in Germany” for consistent high-quality.

Liqui Moly Motor Oils are high-tech and versatile
If the engine is the heart of a car, then the motor oil is its blood. Liqui Moly motor oils do more than just lubricating and cooling. They function at high temperatures and pressures; clean the engine from combustion residue, grit, acids, water and fuel particles; and protect the engine from corrosion. Liqui Moly motor oils have a wide range of permits from German manufacturers including Mercedes, BMW, Audi and Volkswagen, and other foreign producers like Toyota.

For the Philippine market, Liqui Moly is introducing the following range of oils: Longtime High Tech SAE 5W-30 - an all-around motor oil that provides exceptional engine protection for longer oil change intervals up to 40,000-km; TopTec 4100 SAE 5W-40 - a high-quality motor oil designed for gasoline, diesel and CNG/LPG vehicles, allowing for oil change intervals of up to 30,000-km; MoS2-Low Friction SAE 10W-40 - a semi-synthetic oil especially suitable for long-interval oil change and extreme running conditions; Super Low-Friction SAE 10W-40 - a synthetic oil with beneficial effects on sealing materials and excellent for use with vehicles whose mileages have exceeded 60,000-km; and Synthoil Race Tech GT1 SAE 10W-60 – a fully-synthetic high-performance motor oil designed for extreme engine requirements and racing.
Liqui Moly Additives protect the engine and save money
Additives are vehicle vitamins and ensure cleaning and corrosion protection, stable lubrication and temperature resistance. Liqui Moly additives are added separately to fuel or oil to address various vehicle requirements and driving conditions.

Liqui Moly additives available locally include: Octane Booster – an additive that increases the RON (Research Octane Number) of gasoline by 2-4 points; Speed Tec Benzine – a gasoline additive that improves vehicle acceleration; Speed Tec Diesel – a diesel fuel additive for combustion improvement and faster acceleration; Engine Flush Plus – a cleaning fluid that cleans and flushes out the oil circuits of gasoline and diesel engines, removing troublesome deposits and contaminants; Diesel Purge – used with diesel engines to prevent and eliminate problems with uneven idling and knocking by improving ignition performance; Injection Cleaner – a gasoline injection system cleaner that addresses problems such as hard-starting, irregular idling, poor throttle response and performance losses; Cera Tec – a micro-ceramic solid lubricant suspension added to the lubricating oil of engines, compressors, pumps and transmissions to reduce friction and direct metal-to-metal contact.

Liqui Moly Car Care products preserve vehicle value
Just as people apply cream to dry and cracked skin, the vehicle exterior also needs to be cared for. This is not just cosmetic, but is an important part of vehicle maintenance to preserve the value of our vehicle. Liqui Moly has a wide range of cleaning and care products including polishes, waxes and shampoos for the exterior, as well as leather care, cushion and plastic cleaners for the interior.

Liqui Moly Service products assist in repairs
For specific workshop needs and essential vehicle repairs, Liqui Moly has the necessary products such as rust removers, leak detectors, brake cleaners, technical adhesives, sealants, undercarriage protection, and aircon cleaners.

Molybdenum patent
Liqui Moly started out as a small additive producer holding the patent for production of molybdenum disulphide (MoS2), a chemical additive that improves the lubricating ability of engine oil and lengthens the life of the engine. This is the key ingredient in Liqui Moly MoS2 Leichtlauf (Low-Friction) SAE 10W-40, widely known as the Moly Oil.

Based in Ulm, Germany since 1957, Liqui Moly now has a range of over 4,000 products including engine and gear oils, additives and vehicle care products, workshop equipment and service parts. It is the market leader for additives in Germany, and is sold in more than 90 countries worldwide. All Liqui Moly products are manufactured in a single plant in Germany, for consistent quality control.

European Advanced Technik Corporation (EATC) is the exclusive Philippine distributor of Liqui Moly motor oils, additives and car care products. It also distributes another German brand, Varta automotive batteries.

Now on its 25th year of volunteerism

Tuesday, April 5, 2011 4:12 PM ADBM Resources
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Petron Lakbay Alalay strengthens motorist safety advocacy

Marking its silver anniversay, Petron Lakbay Alalay, the country’s longest running motorist assistance program, strengthens its safety advocacy through a comprehensive package of activities, services and products. With its expanded coverage for the entire summer holiday season from mid-March until the end of May, Petron Lakbay Alalay is also reaching out to provide safety check as well as safety tips to motorists nationwide.

Free Service Checks. To help motorists prepare for safe, worry-free travel, participating Petron service stations and car care centers will provide a free 1-point service check-up. This includes free checks on tire pressure, oil and radiator water level, and brakes inspection. In this way, Petron helps you ensure that your vehicle is roadworthy and will take you safely to your destination.

Emergency Roadside Assistance. As in the past, Petron volunteers will spend weekends providing emergency roadside assistance at designated Petron stations along the major toll roads and highways. For their safety and convenience, motorists who need assistance can avail of free minor car repairs, first aid, and emergency phone calls.

Mobile Lakbay Alalay. Travelers can also sign up to receive road safety tips as well as car care and service reminders on their mobile phone.

GPS Maps. Motorists who need travel directions can get route maps to safely reach their destinations at select Petron stations. Using maps provided by GPS, travelers can ask for a route printout from the Petron-GPS kiosks.

Lakbay Alalay Tour Guide. Petron is also developing a web-based program featuring popular domestic destinations to support the Department of Tourism’s local tourism promotions initiative.

Petron eFuel Card. Previously offered only for corporate clients and VIP individuals, ordinary motorists can now avail of the Petron eFuel Card. Serving as a reloadable debit card, road-trippers don’t need to bring a lot of cash to pay for their fuel. The Petron eFuel Card is widely accepted at Petron service stations nationwide.

Now on its 25th year, Petron Lakbay Alalay is the longest-running motorist assistance program in the country. Run by Petron employee-volunteers as part of the company’s “volunteerism in action” philosophy, the pioneering public service activity has been replicated by other automotive and oil companies. The term Lakbay Alalay has, in fact, entered daily terminology as a generic term for various motorist assistance activities offering free mechanical help, communications support, medical services, clean restrooms and other services. Lakbay Alalay is a registered trademark of Petron Corporation.

Petron Corporation is the largest oil refining and marketing company in the Philippines. Its oil refinery produces a full range of petroleum products to supply nearly 40% of the country’s total fuel requirements. Through more than 1,500 service stations nationwide—the largest service station network in the country—Petron retails gasoline, diesel and kerosene to motorists. Petron will continue to be at the forefront of product innovations aimed at giving the motoring public environment-friendly fuels that provide more value for money.

2011 SME STAR PROGRAM

Thursday, March 31, 2011 1:54 PM ADBM Resources
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DTI search for outstanding entrepreneurs now open for nominations


DTI Secretary Gregory L. Domingo has announced that the 2011 SME STAR Program is now officially starting its search for the country’s outstanding entrepreneurs as part of the administration’s development agenda to strengthen and support micro, small and medium enterprises. The latest statistics show that MSMEs represent 99.6% of all registered businesses in the country, and can thus be considered as the backbone of the Philippine economy.

The SME STAR Program is seen as an important component in MSME development and promotion, as it recognizes outstanding entrepreneurs that have shown remarkable achievements in growing their businesses to become globally competitive enterprises. Three award levels are included in the SME STAR Program, corresponding to stages in enterprise growth.

For enterprises in the start-up and capability-building stage, the SME Rising Star Award will be conferred to outstanding MSMEs at the provincial level, with one winner each for the micro, small and medium enterprise categories. Local MSMEs are encouraged to vie for this award, by submitting the required nomination forms and other documents to the Provincial MSMED Council c/o the DTI Provincial Offices. The Provincial MSMED Council determines the winners based on judging criteria. For 2011, there will be 264 SME Rising Star Award winners who will receive a DTI Citation.

Enterprises at the domestic market penetration and export awareness stage are eligible for nomination to SME Star Elite Award, which is conferred at the regional level. Provincial MSMED Councils may endorse one nominee for each of the micro, small and medium enterprise categories. The Regional MSMED Council or an equivalent body screens and determines the winners of the SME Star Elite Award. A total of 51 outstanding enterprises from 17 regions are expected to earn the 2011 SME Star Elite Award, consisting of a DTI Citation.

For highly successful enterprises that have reached the export and expansion stage, the highest recognition is given through the SME Star Presidential Award. Chosen from the pool of current SME Star Elite Awardees, the National MSMED Council executive committee determines the qualifying finalists who are then submitted to a distinguished board of judges. There will be 1 winner for the 2011 SME Star Presidential Award. The winner will receive a Presidential Trophy during the awarding ceremonies to be held as part of the SME Week celebrations in July 2011.

Nomination forms as well as other details about the nomination process are available from local DTI offices. Deadline for submission of nomination forms is March 31, 2011. For inquiries, please contact Ms. Glady Aquino or Ms. Michelle Rea of the Bureau of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development (BMSMED) at telephone numbers 751.0384 local 2509 and 751.5061 or email: bmsmed@dti.gov.ph.

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