Bicol Holds Microfinance Summit and Regional Bazaar

Legazpi City (23 September) -- The Bicol Microfinance Council, Inc. (BMCI), a strong network of 18 Microfinance Institutions, in partnership with the Bicol Consortium for Development Initiatives (BCDI) and the Philippine Social Enterprise Development Center (SEDCen), is holding the Microfinance Summit and Regional Bazaar on September 22-26, 2010 at the Landco Business Park here.

Activities of the summit are basically grounded on the need to consolidate and sustain the efforts of the Microfinance Institutions in the Bicol Region to mainstream the micro-entrepreneurs.

The 5-day summit is dedicated to Pres. Corazon C. Aquino for her unwavering faith on people power and the true essence of empowerment. Hence, the theme: Mainstreaming Micro-entrepreneurs, a tribute to Pres. Corazon C. Aquino.

The summit is expected to translate into practice the BCMI's mission of developing small enterprises in the region with the goal of reducing poverty.

The workshop on Agriculture Microfinance seeks to develop a roadmap to respond to the under-served sector of the industry - the agriculture-based households in the Region. Furthermore, the forum intends where synergies with the national agenda can be created to serve the farming households' needs for financing.

The ME Forum is designed to see how the microenterprise development agenda is integrated in the macroeconomic reform agenda of Pres. Aquino's administration. The panel discussion will attempt to identify concrete programs and services in the Region.

The ME Hour for the MFI clients and members seeks further enhance the entrepreneurial skill of Bikolano entrepreneurs. Several entrepreneurial and financial literacy sessions are in store for the micro-entrepreneurs that will be facilitated by practitioners and social entrepreneurs.

The trade fair seeks to showcase the creativity of the Bikolano Micro-entrepreneurs, promote further patronage of microenterprise products, and reinforce employment and business opportunities.

The microfinance summit and trade fair is made possible in cooperation with the AECID, TRIAS SE, Manos Unidas, and the People's Finance and Credit Corporation (PCFC), funding partners of the BMCI, BCDI and the SEDCen. (BMCI/PIA/mal)