Philippine Embassy in Spain and Spanish Red Cross Offer Entrepreneurship Seminar to Filipino Community

The participants of the entrepreneurship seminar with the two Red Cross representatives, Ms. Marta Brenta and Marian Elgueta, Vice Consul Mikhal de Dios, and members of the Philippine Embassy in Madrid.

The Philippine Embassy in Madrid organized and hosted an entrepreneurship seminar for the Filipino community in Spain on 15 September 2019, in partnership with the Spanish Red Cross (Cruz Roja Española).

The seminar, held at the Embassy Chancery, saw the participation of over 30 Filipino community members. While the majority of participants came from in and around Madrid, some traveled from as far away as Barcelona, Murcia, Tarragona, and Pamplona to join the event.

The lectures were delivered by two representatives from the Red Cross self-employment division, Ms. Marta Brenta and Ms. Marian Elgueta. Over the ensuing four hours, the officials shared information on the basic procedures and requirements for starting a business in Spain. This included a discussion on the relevant Spanish government agencies for business registration and taxation; tips on how to choose a service or product for sale, with emphasis on selecting a good business name; advice on how to set up a basic website and reach a wider audience; and advice on funding facilities for SMEs.

Ambassador Philippe Lhuillier shares his own experiences as a businessman and advises the attendees on entrepreneurial activities.

For his part, Philippine Ambassador Philippe J. Lhuillier shared his own insights on the challenges facing new businesses based on his own extensive experience in the private sector. He also encouraged the attendees to form professional or business associations within their respective areas in order to foster more Filipino-run enterprises. Lastly, the Ambassador congratulated the participants on taking what was, for many of them, the first step towards starting their own business in Spain.

The Embassy informed the participants that this workshop, similar to the franchising seminar that the Embassy organized with the Philippine Franchising Association in May 2019, would be followed by more entrepreneurship and business-focused seminars in the near future.

Ms. Marta Brenta from the Spanish Red Cross advises participants on how to register and start up a small to medium enterprise in Spain.