Through the Sugar Industry Foundation, Inc.’s continuing endeavors to promote collective livelihood strategies for the sugar communities, an Enterprise Planning Seminar was conducted to the mill union organizations of Sagay Central, Inc. and URC-SONEDCO.
The seminar, facilitated by Mr. Dexter Ian Tabujara, encourages developing and managing sustainable businesses that would not only have a positive impact on the member but also in their localities.
The seminar has taken enterprise planning through a significant evaluation of underlying issues which are scouting of market opportunities, resource evaluation, financial projection, and as well as the business sustainability.
The participants shared their personal experiences and developed relevant questions to their particular case. Mr. Dexter Ian Tabujara, allowed free discussion and used vivid examples that were familiar to the audience. He also showed a few businesses informative videos to the mill unions. He further exposed the participants to the current trends of business-like health services, food and beverages, eco-friendly goods and technological ventures.
The mill union organizations were tasked to create a business plan. This exercise was intended to summarize the knowledge acquired in the course of the seminar and to familiarize oneself with the enterprise-planning procedure in a collaborative environment.
Sagay Central, Inc.
- Philippine Agricultural Commercial, and Industrial Workers Union (PACIWU)
- SIGMA Independent Organization (SIGMA)
- Sagay Central Inc. Staff and Supervisors Union (SACSU)
URC-SONEDCO
- SONEDCO Workers Free Labor Union (SWOFLU)
- SONEDCO Supervisory Union (SSU)
Each of the mill union organizations came up with the following business ideas such as upscaling of an established water refilling station, a canteen for the mill employees, buy and sell metal scrap yard, to name a few.
An open forum was conducted to allow feedback from the facilitator and their fellow participants. A dialogue between the participants highlighted the advantages and created an opportunity to collaborate and improve further. This sense of community developed a camaraderie and the feeling of support amongst the representatives of the union.
The Enterprise Planning Seminar served as a place of knowledge transfer and skills development. Armed with improved business ideas and the long-term dedication of SIFI to the continuation of their support, these organizations are ready to go beyond the sustainable and inclusive economic development.
**with reports from Mariz Tina Mispeñas
