UnionBank trains 27 SME owners for growth

UnionBank of the Philippines has completed the first cohort of its UB Negosyante BOOSTcamp, a six-week learning program that equipped 27 small and medium enterprise (SME) owners with practical skills in financial management, digital marketing and emerging technologies.

The program, which concluded on 24 October, combined mentorship, peer learning and industry insights to help Filipino entrepreneurs adapt to changing customer expectations, technological developments and an increasingly competitive business environment.

An initiative of UnionBank’s GoBeyond Community, the bank’s flagship corporate social responsibility and employee engagement program, BOOSTcamp covered customer understanding, financial management, artificial intelligence (AI), digital marketing and sustainable business growth.

UnionBank chief marketing and experience officer Albert C. Cuadrante said the initiative recognizes entrepreneurs as contributors to the country’s economic development.

“We see you guys not just as business owners, but as builders of the future. More importantly, the businesses you are growing today will become the next generation of companies that will help drive our economy forward,” Cuadrante said.

Among the participants was Mico Buenaflor of Lucky LMB, a wholesale and retail distributor of power and industrial tools. He joined the program after recognizing that his business had expanded faster than his own professional capabilities.

“My business was growing but my skills were plateauing,” Buenaflor said.

He particularly valued the program’s discussions on the ethical use of AI.

Daryl Pascual, a telecom product distributor, also emphasized the importance of adopting emerging technologies to keep businesses competitive.

“Our businesses should be adaptive to changes through techniques, strategies, executions and tools around us. Ten years ago, AI was not available to us, but now that it’s here, we can adopt this for the benefit of our businesses,” Pascual said.

The program featured sessions from business leaders and industry practitioners, including Potato Corner co-founder George Wieneke, who discussed product development and responding to customer needs, and branding expert Bingo Soriano, who shared insights on customer understanding, market opportunities and brand positioning.

UnionBank Institutional Segment Marketing head Dino Velasco discussed marketing strategies and customer loyalty, while Gino Pineda and Issang Ceballos of Meta shared approaches to audience targeting, budget optimization and campaign performance measurement.

Sessions on AI covered its fundamentals, governance, business applications, responsible use and data privacy. Speakers also emphasized the need to validate AI-generated outputs.

Other resource persons included UnionBank’s Justin Philip S. Tuazon, Atty. Romina Angeliz H. Marcaida and Rosiel Jazmine T. Villareal. UnionBank Secured Assets Network head Cherrie L. Tinoko also discussed effective selling techniques.

Beyond the formal sessions, participants exchanged experiences and explored ways to translate business challenges into opportunities.

Denis Rodriguez, who manages an insurance firm, said the program provided opportunities to keep up with business trends, better understand customers and build connections with fellow entrepreneurs.

“You know, being an entrepreneur, sometimes you feel isolated already. I love workshops. Not only for networking, but also for learning so I can stay updated every year,” Rodriguez said.

At the cohort’s graduation, Rep. Brian Poe Llamanzares, who previously worked as an entrepreneur, encouraged participants to embrace technology, prepare for crises, invest in their teams and continue learning. He also offered to champion entrepreneurs’ concerns in Congress.

UnionBank chief human resources officer and head of CSR Michelle Rubio said the program reflects the bank’s broader goal of extending the benefits of entrepreneurship to communities.

“Through our CSR commitment of uplifting lives, uplifting generations, we believe that when entrepreneurs succeed, communities succeed,” Rubio said.

She encouraged the graduates to apply their learnings by supporting their employees, serving their customers and creating meaningful contributions to their communities.

BOOSTcamp builds on UnionBank’s support for small businesses through its UB Negosyante platform. The bank launched its SME Business Banking app in January 2021 and reintroduced an enhanced offering under the UB Negosyante brand in 2023, providing digital banking tools and financial solutions for entrepreneurs.