Manuel S. Enverga University Foundation (MSEUF) advanced community entrepreneurship and financial empowerment through its College of Business and Accountancy (CBA) community extension initiative, which provided financial literacy and business development training to beneficiaries of government social welfare and livelihood programs in Lucena City.
The initiative formed part of the DOLE-OUT Program, which stands for Developing Opportunities, Leadership, and Empowerment for Cash Transfer Program Beneficiaries Towards Entrepreneurship – Ownership, Unity, and Transformation.
Through this program, MSEUF worked with its Community Relations Department, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), and other community partners to provide participants with knowledge and skills relevant to entrepreneurship, financial management, and livelihood development.
The initiative reflected the University's commitment to community service and its educational philosophy of learning by doing, extending academic knowledge and expertise to communities seeking opportunities for economic development.
Equipping community beneficiaries with entrepreneurship and financial management skills
The DOLE-OUT Program supported community members associated with DSWD's Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) and Sustainable Livelihood Program through entrepreneurship education and financial literacy activities.
In January 2025, MSEUF documented its Hatid Kaalaman sa Pagnenegosyo initiative, which involved the College of Business and Accountancy, Institute of Graduate Studies and Research, Community Relations Department, DSWD, and the Lucena City local government.
The initiative introduced participants to practical concepts related to starting small businesses, managing finances, and planning for long-term business sustainability.
These learning activities aimed to strengthen participants' understanding of entrepreneurship and financial decision-making, providing foundational knowledge that they could apply when exploring livelihood opportunities or planning small business ventures.
By sharing business-related knowledge with beneficiaries of social welfare and livelihood programs, MSEUF contributed educational resources to community efforts that promote economic participation and self-reliance.
Recognizing 34 financial literacy program completers
On April 3, 2025, the MSEUF Community Extension Service documented the recognition of 34 completers from the first batch of the Financial Literacy Program under the DOLE-OUT community extension initiative.
The recognition acknowledged participants' completion of the program's financial literacy learning activities.
The initiative also recognized the contributions of Prof. Lucila Pedegloria, Community Extension Service chairperson, and Dr. Mandy Baldovino, who were acknowledged in the University's published activity report.
The completion of the first batch represented a documented accomplishment of MSEUF's community-based financial education efforts, demonstrating the University's delivery of business-related learning opportunities to identified community beneficiaries.
While the available documentation confirms 34 program completers, it does not establish the number of participants who subsequently started businesses or generated income through entrepreneurial activities.
Supporting financially and socially sustainable entrepreneurship
Through its community extension initiatives, MSEUF shared educational resources intended to help participants understand the foundations of small business development.
The program's emphasis on financial literacy, business planning, and entrepreneurship aligned with the goal of preparing community members to make informed decisions about livelihood opportunities.
These learning areas are relevant to the development of financially sustainable enterprises, where business owners must understand expenses, manage available resources, and assess the long-term viability of their activities.
The involvement of DSWD and community partners also connected university-led business education with government programs serving households that may face financial and livelihood challenges.
The available records establish the provision of entrepreneurship-related education and completion of financial literacy training. Additional documentation would be needed to confirm whether the activities were offered free of charge or at a subsidized cost and to measure their longer-term livelihood outcomes.
Contribution to SDG 1: No Poverty
The DOLE-OUT Program contributed to the objectives of United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 1: No Poverty by extending entrepreneurship education and financial literacy training to community beneficiaries of social welfare and livelihood programs.
The initiative directly relates to Indicator 1.4.1 of the Times Higher Education Sustainability Impact Ratings, which assesses university assistance in supporting the establishment of financially and socially sustainable businesses within local communities through education, mentorship, training, and other resources.
MSEUF's documented entrepreneurship activities and the completion of financial literacy training by 34 community participants in 2025 demonstrate the University's provision of educational assistance relevant to local business start-up preparation.
Through its collaboration with government agencies and community partners, MSEUF reinforced its threefold commitment to instruction, research, and community service while advancing its institutional values of Service, Excellence, and Unity.
The initiative also reflected the University's commitment to applying academic expertise beyond the classroom to support community development and strengthen opportunities for sustainable livelihoods.
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