Tuesday, March 27, 2007

CCCI holds microfinancing seminar for SMEs

Recognizing the vital role small and medium enterprises (SMEs) play in the growth of the country's economy, the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) will undertake a one-day seminar on micro-financing for SMEs for them to gain easy access and avail of financial programs from government and private financial institutions.

The seminar
is aimed at increasing awareness of member SME-entrepreneurs on how to access financing services from banks and other financial institutions and gain more insights on collaterals, collateral substitutes and financial statements. Likewise, the seminar is also a venue for SME entrepreneurs to avail financing programs offered by financial and non-financial institutions.

SMEs are considered the backbone of the country's economy and comprised 99 percent of the total manufacturing establishments and contribute to over 50 percent in employment generation and 28 percent in the value-added in production.

Topics to be discussed during the seminar include: basic loan requirements of financial institutions and the problems encountered by SME entrepreneurs in accessing financing; collaterals (deposit hold-out, real estate mortgage and chattel mortgage and collateral substitutes (guarantee, pledge and assignment, surety bond, standby letter of credit, lodgement of title deed, life insurance policy, listed/unlisted securities and export letter of credit, negative pledge agreement and joint and several signatures); and setting-up of accounting systems for SMEs and preparations of financial statements.

Resource speakers for the seminar are micro-financing experts from the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Wealth Development Bank (WealthBank), Philippine Export-Import Credit Agency (PhilExim) and Small Business Guarantee Financial Corp. (SBGFC).

CCCI urges its members and even non-member SMEs to avail of this rare opportunity. A minimal registration fee is collected to cover part of the cost for the whole-day activity which is inclusive of meals and snacks as well as seminar kits.

CCCI members are asked to pay P 750 and Php1,000 for non-CCCI members as interested parties may inquire for further details at the CCCI office at tel. no. 232-1423 loc. 109 and look for Jethro/Rhea. (PIA-Cebu/FCR)

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