DTI, DepEd Launch Youth Entrepreneurship Program in Guimaras

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The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Department of Education (DepEd) officially launched the Youth Entrepreneurship Program (YEP) for Western Visayas on April 4 at the Catalino G. Nava Farm School, aiming to strengthen entrepreneurial education in 31 farm schools across Region 6.

The initiative follows the March 26 signing of a memorandum of agreement between the two agencies, formalizing their commitment to integrate practical business skills into agricultural education for rural youth.

DTI Region 6 Regional Director Rachel Nufable and DepEd Region 6 Assistant Regional Director Miguel Mac Aposin led the joint coordination meeting, which brought together Chief Education Supervisors, Guimaras division officials, and staff from both departments.

The event marked the beginning of YEP implementation at the grassroots level, focusing on equipping students in farm schools with entrepreneurship fundamentals, financial literacy, and market-oriented thinking.

“With farming and if we are mapisan (hardworking), there is income and we won’t go hungry,” said RD Nufable, emphasizing agriculture’s critical role in regional development.

She explained that while passion is a starting point, running a successful business demands knowledge in production, operations, marketing, and finance.

DTI’s partnership with farm schools builds on its 2022 collaboration with the Guimaras Brethren Multi-Purpose Cooperative, which helped students open savings accounts and improve financial discipline.

Under YEP, DTI will roll out technical training and capacity-building sessions for students and teachers to foster innovation and enterprise readiness in rural learning environments.

In September 2024, DTI conducted preliminary training with farm school executives, laying the groundwork for the YEP’s rollout.

At Catalino G. Nava Farm School, students have already been engaging in entrepreneurship through their weekly “Bulantihan,” where they sell school-grown produce, and in livestock farrowing programs that develop business mindset and work ethic.

“Developing these skills is critical to the full mobilization of the YEP in our farm schools and we were able to inspire school heads to embrace the program and take it further,” Nufable added.

DepEd’s ARD Aposin reaffirmed the department’s support, noting that the program aligns with DepEd’s goal of shaping learners into productive and innovative citizens.

He shared that the farm school model is gaining traction, with more students showing interest in agriculture and business-related college programs.

The YEP initiative serves as a strategic response to the growing need for youth employment and enterprise development, particularly in rural and agricultural communities.

It also complements the national government’s push for inclusive growth by enabling students to participate in the economic mainstream early on.

As both agencies look ahead, they remain confident that this partnership will not only bear fruit in Guimaras, but spark sustainable development throughout the Western Visayas region.