Deal inked to help women entrepreneurs

A lacl convergence team was formed to implement the Sari-Sari Store Training and Access to Resources (S3TAR) program of Coca-Cola Philippines and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda).

An agreement was signed on Sept. 18 between Coca-Cola Philippines, Tesda, the local governments of Cebu, Bogo and Balamban, and the Cebu Federation of Women’s Club  Inc. (CFWCI) for the implementation of the program, which is targeting 1,000 women store cooperators around Cebu province this year.

The S3TAR program aims to transform women sari-sari store owners into becoming better entrepreneurs through the provision of formal training on basic entrepreneur skills and gender sensitivity, facilitation of access to product-capital and giving access to store merchandising equipment.

“Coca-Cola Philippines recognizes that women can become potential engines of economic and community development that is why we collaboratively design a program that fully supports women entrepreneurship competencies,” said Gilda Patricia Maquilan, lead S3TAR program convenor and chairperson of the Coke-National Program Management Team (NPMT).

According to Cynthia Barrit, president of CFWCI, “we believe that women are capable of learning the proper management of sari-sari stores, coupled by their strong will and determination to augment their family needs, I think this program can really help small women entrepreneurs become economically productive.”

“In the Coca-Cola system, we acknowledge the important role of women retailers or sari-sari store owners in our value chain. They are the hands that extend our brands to our consumers. This program with Tesda, the civil society and the Local Governments of Cebu is a unique opportunity and an innovative way to sustain the communities that we serve,” said lawyer Adel Tamano, vice president for Public Affairs and Communication, Coca-Cola Export Corp.

“Tesda, along with its roster entrepreneurship trainers will be providing this crucial first step to the 1,000 S3TAR Program women cooperators in Cebu,” said Tesda region 7 director Rosanna Urdaneta.

“This partnership program essentially upholds the Tesda mandate to provide quality and gender sensitive training to all Filipinos nationwide,” said Tesda-NPMT chairman Ernesto Beltran.