The ASEAN Mentorship for Entrepreneurs Network, or AMEN, might just mean answered prayers to micro, small, and medium enterprises around Southeast Asia as it aims to help them transition from survival to sustainability.
Launched Sunday afternoon on the first day of the ASEAN Business and Investment Summit (ABIS) at the Solaire Resort and Casino in Parañaque City, AMEN will connect MSMEs to mentors from all over the region.
“The theme of this event is creating prosperity for all,” said ASEAN Business Advisory Council chairperson Joey Concepcion, who is also the Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship, at a press conference on Sunday morning at the International Media Center in Pasay City.
He explained that AMEN is “the first and the largest mentorship organization to be formed at the ASEAN level,” with the 10-member-countries committing to participate by allowing their mentors to be part of the program.
President Rodrigo Duterte and Myanmar State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi graced the launch of AMEN, with the latter delivering the keynote speech.
According to Concepcion, Suu Kyi is “an inspiration to many” and will “draw a lot of attention on … how she really, in her own way, brought about democracy.”
ABIS will run until Tuesday, marked by a number of fora about infrastructure development, women economic empowerment, and entrepreneurship in a digital economy, among others.
Speakers include Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev on infrastructure, India Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on bringing in the unbanked into the economic system, former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on the future of ASEAN, Vice President Leni Robredo, and South Korea president Moon Jae-in.
Members of the private sector will also be participating in the discussions, among them PLDT chairman Manny V. Pangilinan, Ayala Corporation CEO Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, and International Container Terminal Services CEO Enrique Razon.
Charting the course of AMEN, Concepcion said: “The AMEN program basically is going to start where these mentors will be mentoring the mentors first. Many of the AMEN pioneer mentors from the different countries will be coming to the Philippines to strengthen our own mentors. And that is very important because we have also to scale up our current mentors in the Philippines. So coming from about a year of experience in working in the Department of Trade and Industry and Agriculture, there is need (to) really strengthen the level of our mentors.”
“As we move on, eventually, we will expose our mentees. And I’m sure depending on the needs of this country, whether in our case, whether it’s digital or agriculture, depending on what Singapore would be, Myanmar would be, we will define where their weak areas are. And that’s where they will prepare their own strategy,” he added.
Concepcion said that the Philippines is already implementing the program, building a “directory” of over 500 mentors and growing.
“Eventually, we will not just make this exclusive to the ten ASEAN countries; the joint business councils (will) also engage and share with us their mentors,” he said.
The long-term goal is to develop a digital academy.
According to ABIS 2017 program chair Josephine Romero, the AMEN steering committee met earlier at the City of Dreams Manila in Parañaque City to work on a plan of action for the future of AMEN.
With the ASEAN committee promoting micro and small enterprise policies, together with the private sector, Romero expects AMEN to have a life of its own after the Philippines’ chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
“Next year we will be able to give you more of the statistics and the measurable items that you’re looking for,” she added.
