BPI Foundation

Core Program

BPI Sinag returns to accelerate more Filipino social enterprises

BPI Sinag Year 4 scales-up to celebrate BPI Foundation’s 40th anniversary

The Top 40 social entrepreneur finalists at the first Sinag boot camp

BPI Foundation, the social innovation arm of the Bank of the Philippine Islands, has announced the launch of the 4th year of BPI Sinag, its flagship program that accelerates social enterprises, or businesses creating products and services that aim to make a social impact in a sustainable manner, targeting the triple bottom-line of people, planet, and profit.

To mark BPI Foundation’s 40th anniversary, BPI Sinag 2018 shines brighter as it reaches out to new social enterprises, launches new opportunities, enlists new partners, and moves to strengthen the social enterprise ecosystem in the country. “Social enterprises are businesses with hearts for communities and the environment.” said Maricris San Diego, BPI Foundation Executive Director. “They drive inclusive growth by approaching social problems with a business approach, helping ensure their sustainability. By helping them accelerate through BPI Sinag, they can get a better chance to be competitive businesses and impactful community-builders.”

New social enterprises This year, BPI Sinag aims to deepen its impact and reach out most especially to social enterprises in the agribusiness, healthcare, energy, and education sectors. “These are priority sectors that we have identified as having the most potential to make a great impact in our country today,” said San Diego. “Our challenge for these social enterprises is to move beyond simply alleviating poverty and into creating wealth for Filipinos.” To reach out to more social enterprises nationwide, BPI Foundation conducted road shows from April 4 to 13 in the following cities: Cebu, Iloilo, Davao, Cagayan De Oro, Baguio, and Pampanga.

More opportunities New this year is the “fast track opportunity” where participants in these roadshows presented their business proposals for their social enterprises in a 7-minute elevator pitch, securing for them automatic inclusion in the BPI Sinag Top 40. Based on their performance, social enterprises will be shortlisted as Top 40, then Top 20 finalists, until BPI Foundation finds its Top 10 awardees for 2018. Five of these will receive Php 100,000 each, while the top 5 will get Php 500,000 each. They will also receive cash grants and continued mentorship to set themselves up for success. Just like last year, BPI Foundation will continue to offer special access to market for these SEs by inviting them to events such as the annual BPI Sinag ng Pasko, where they can offer their products and services directly to consumers in time for the holiday season.

New partners Partnering with BPI Foundation for BPI Sinag 2018 are BPI Business Banking and BPI BanKo, Bayan Academy for Social Entrepreneurship and Human Resources Development (BAYAN Academy), a social development organization that will spearhead the business workshops, Villgro Philippines, a social enterprise incubator which will help design and implement the BPI Sinag road shows, and business accelerator StartUp Village.

A social enterprise ecosystem Since its launch last 2015, BPI Sinag has been able to reach out and assist 138 social enterprises nationwide. BPI Foundation is reaching out to all of them in its first BPI Sinag Alumni Reunion. The event will be an avenue where all social entrepreneurs who participated in BPI Sinag years 1-3 can meet again after their time in the business challenge and share updates on their journey after finishing the program.

Event Announcement

BPI Foundation celebrates 40th Anniversary

May 07, 2018

(L-R): BPI EVP Simon Paterno, BPI EVP Antonio Paner, Msgr. Jose Clemente Ignacio (Vicar General and Moderator Curiae of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila), BPI President Bong Consing, BPI Foundation Executive Director Maricris San Diego, BPI Foundation Associate Director Tessa Calalang, BPI EVP Ramon Jocson, Dr. Bernardo Villegas (UA&P Director of Center for Research and Communications), Dennis Montecillo (Internatonal Care Ministries Board Member), Fred Ayala (Ayala Education CEO)

The Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) Foundation started in 1978, but the past three years have been a time of transformation. From pure philanthropy and capital allocation, BPI Foundation has now evolved into a social innovation platform, where we innovate, incubate and accelerate initiatives that are purposefully directed at driving the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals, the Philippine national development agenda and improving the lives of under-served sectors.

As we have become more attentive to the country's challenges, there has been a stronger desire for BPI Foundation to take an active role in addressing risks to economic reform, social cohesion and environment protection, while harnessing the core competency of BPI as the Philippines' most trusted financial partner.

We aim to alleviate poverty through providing access to financial products and services, empowering and capacitating the unbanked sectors, and building strong and strategic partnerships. We impel financial inclusion through financial education, enterprise development, and sustainable rural development. Each of our initiatives builds on a tapestry of possibilities, an integrated ecosystem that changes how people become financially healthy, how micro-small entrepreneurs grow their businesses, and how small-holder farmers build scale and sustainability in agriculture.

BPI Foundation weaves business and community together by creating value both in BPI and in its partner stakeholders. The Foundation gives the Bank the opportunity to create new business models, markets, products and solutions that are more responsive and more relevant to segments and areas which BPI does not normally engage.

This May 2018, as we celebrate BPI Foundation’s 40 years, we are more intent in empowering Filipinos to gain equal access to opportunities and resources to create prosperity for themselves. We will be scaling up our efforts and widening the reach of our program’s impact. This milestone is an opportunity to tell our story to a wider audience, and engage with more like-minded partners who we can potentially work with in implementing our programs.

BPI Foundation Associate Director Tessa Calalang shared stories of the Foundation's longest running programs - BPI DOST Science Awards and Show Me, Teach Me

Core Program

BPI Sinag Accelerate 2017 names top 10 social enterprises

November 10, 2017

BPI Sinag Accelerate 2017 Top 10 Awardees

BPI Foundation has named the ten awardees of the BPI Sinag Accelerate 2017. They will receive business incubation training and up to P500,000 in seed-funding grants. They are (in alphabetical order):

1. Accents and Petals Crafts and Accessories, a novelty shop selling flowers made from recycled wood and paper

2. Alternative Indigenous Development Foundation, Inc. which develops, manufactures, and installs technologies such as ram pumps for drinking and irrigation water, for the poor in the uplands

3. Association of Differently-Abled Persons in Iloilo Multi-Purpose Cooperative, a furniture making business giving jobs to persons with disabilities

4. Buhatan River Eco-Adventure Service Cooperative (BRESC), an eco-tourism service in Sorsogon promoting the attractions of the Buhatan River

5. Coffee For Peace, a coffee supplier of world class Arabica and Robusta beans working to promote peace in Mindanao

6. CustomMade Crafts Center, Inc. a weaving novelty shop offering assorted items designed with Hinabol fabric

7. Happy Helpers (Masasayang Nanay Home Services Corporation) a professional home cleaning service that employs and empowers mothers from poor communities

8. Lamlifew Village Museum and School of Living Tradition, a living museum which showcases the cultural practices of Blaan tribe in the Sarangani Province

9. Mori Creations, a designer of innovative fashion accessories collaborates with mothers from poor communities in Apolonio Samson, Quezon City

10. Zarraga Integrated Diversified Organic Farmers Association (ZIDOFA), a community of farmers revolutionizing rice growth with rich organic fertilizer

These were selected from the 20 finalists who had pitched their business plans to a panel of judges that included Ramon Noel Altamirano (Vice President/Division Head for Retail Loans, Marketing, and Systems, BPI), Carlo Calimon (Director, StartUp Village), Dr. Eduardo Morato, Jr. (President, Bayan Academy For Social Entrepreneurship and Human Resources, Inc.), Sheila Ramos (angel investor supporting budding enterprises), and Priya Thachadi (Co-Founder and CEO, Villgro Philippines).

They also underwent in-depth business bootcamps run by BPI Foundation and partner organization Bayan Academy.

BPI Foundation believes supporting social enterprises is the most effective strategy to promote inclusive growth in the country.

“Social entrepreneurs have such an innate desire to not only advocate for social change, but also create a new social equilibrium,” said Maricris San Diego, BPI Foundation executive director. “Social entrepreneurs aim to permanently and systematically transform an unfair societal condition. They act directly - creating a product, service or a new way of doing things that drives the transformation of the status quo. We, at BPI Foundation, want to harness this innate desire and work with them to be the force of change in the world, to ensure that no one gets left behind.”

DTI Regional Operations Group Undersecretary Zenaida Maglaya graced the awarding ceremony to deliver the keynote message on the significance of social enterprises in the country and the efforts of government to assist the sector.

The program also featured a panel discussion with the theme of “Helping Social Enterprises Scale and Innovate Impactfully” to further appreciate the value of social entrepreneurship. Thought leaders such as digital expert and program judge Carlo Calimon, sustainable fashion designer of Green Leaf Bags Zarah Juan, marketing director of artisanal accessories shop Touch of Craft, Inc. Julie Carceller, and co-founder of Human Nature social enterprise Anna Meloto-Wilk shared their thoughts on the challenges faced by social enterprises.

BPI Sinag Accelerate is one of the two pillar categories of BPI Sinag Business Challenge which aims to help social entrepreneurs scale up their businesses and magnify their impact to the community.

To fully support and thank the social enterprises for joining the annual business challenge, BPI Foundation will also organize BPI Sinag ng Pasko bazaar on December 13, 11:00AM at Palm Drive Activity Center, Glorietta 2, Makati City. The event primarily aims to give the participants better exposure and provide better access for consumers to the 100% Pinoy made products.

News

Congratulations to BPI Sinag Accelerate's Top 37 Social Entrepreneurs this year!

These inspiring changemakers will undergo a 5 day intensive business Bootcamp this August to further refine their business models and improve on their financials and social impact.

Stay tuned as we unveil who makes it to the Top 10 this November! Follow us here as you witness their BPI Sinag journey!

Core Program

BPI Sinag U 2017 is looking for student entrepreneurs!

Social Entrepreneurship is for all ages as long as you are
addressing a specific social problem and a defined social impact like our Student Sinag Entrepreneurs from Bambulig.

You can apply and be part of the Sinag Community really soon! Stay tuned. #BPISinag

Core Program

BPI Sinag Accelerate Year 2017

Scale your business, Grow your impact

#BPISinag Accelerate is looking for Social Entrepreneurs who want to scale-up to further deepen their impact. Get the opportunity to win grants as much as P500,000 as well as access to business bootcamps, in-depth mentoring, industry networks and impact investors.

Apply Now at http://sinag.bpifoundation.org/

News

BPI Foundation Launches BPI Sinag Year 3

Building an enlightened ecosystem for social entrepreneurship in the Philippines

(From left to right) Vince Rapisura of SEDPI, Nonong Velasco of Organic Options, Dean Luis Dumlao of ADMU - JGSOM, Ana Tan of ACSEnt, Atty. Jaime Hofilena, VP for Social Development of ADMU, BPI Foundation Executive Director Faye Corcuera, Deputy Governor Nestor Espenilla Jr., Dr. Ed Morato of Bayan Academy, Panya Boonsirithum of Citihub, BPI President and CEO Cezar Consing, Kyzel Dagdag of Bambulig.

BPI Foundation has announced the launch of the third year of its BPI Sinag program for social enterprises, or businesses with the triple bottom line of people, planet, and profit.

While BPI Sinag started as a business challenge offering mentorship and financial support for social enterprises, it is now expanding into a platform that aims to build an enlightened ecosystem for social entrepreneurship in the Philippines.

“The boot camps and competition will still be the key components of BPI Sinag. However, guided by what we have learned from BPI Sinag’s previous years, this year, we will introduce more in-depth impact assessments, identify gaps or areas of improvement, and come up with documentation that can educate other social enterprises in the future,” said Fidelina Corcuera, BPI Foundation Executive Director. “In addition, we have lined up community support activities, foremost of which is an Investor Education Seminar, which aims to encourage both new and seasoned angel investors to consider including the social entrepreneurship space in their investment portfolios.”

A key focus for this year will be to encourage these social enterprises to work towards wealth creation interventions for inclusive and sustainable growth as a means for poverty alleviation.

“Multiply the success stories of social enterprises many times over and our social enterprise sector can truly drive inclusive growth. How can we further support their growth?” said Deputy Governor Nestor Espenilla Jr. in his keynote message at the BPI Sinag Year 3 Launch, “Observed challenges relate to limited skills and capacity to grow, expand and diversify, as well as the lack of access to resources, financing and technology. I am pleased to note that these are the very challenges that Sinag hopes to address.”

Dr. Ed Morato of Bayan Academy, Vince Rapisura of SEDPI and Nonong Velasco of Organic Options engaged the audience at launch in a panel discussion on "Leveraging Financial Inclusion to Empower Social Entrepreneurs".

Continuing from last year, BPI Sinag this year will continue to stand on two pillars. BPI Sinag U, in partnership with the Ateneo Center of Social Entrepreneurship (ACSent), will engage university students from all over the country who have ideas for potential social enterprises. Meanwhile, BPI Sinag Accelerate, in partnership with the Bayan Academy for Social Entrepreneurship and Human Resources Development (Bayan Academy), will reach out to social enterprises in operation for at least two years and are looking to accelerate their growth. BPI Sinag Accelerate is open to registered businesses with special focus on agricultural, IP, and Mindanao communities and other under-served sectors all over the country.

Both BPI Sinag U and BPI Sinag Accelerate will offer their respective participants targeted mentorship programs through boot-camps, industry networks, and access to the appropriate financing options.

“With these activities and opportunities, we hope that the social enterprises born and incubated in BPI Sinag become successful businesses that offer quality products and services, maintain high functioning value chains, and consistently deliver healthy profit margins,” said Corcuera. “We also hope to see many of them not just cater to local customers, but eventually become competitive players in their respective industries, whether in the ASEAN or in the global market.”

Those who wish to learn more about social entrepreneurship or who wish to find out how to be part of either program can visit http://sinag.bpifoundation.org/. Join the discussion and add BPI Sinag on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/bpisinag and Twitter http://twitter.com/bpisinag.

News

Semi-finalists of BPI Sinag Accelerate 2016 undergo bootcamp

August 15, 2016

After two months of search and evaluation, BPI Foundation has selected 33 social enterprises for the BPI Sinag Accelerate 2016. The 33 social enterprises were selected from over 100 entries submitted from all over the Philippines through the seminar orientations and online applications.

The 33 semi-finalists of BPI Sinag Accelerate undergo their first bootcamp.

The 33 semi-finalists of BPI Sinag Accelerate are from different industries such as food, agriculture, fashion, technology, and services. These social enterprises include: Akaba Ltd. Design Co., Bag 943, Balangay’s Best, Balay Balay 3D Architecture, Barangay Aquaphonics, Camotes Coop, City Hub, Coffee for Peace, Edukasyon.ph, Fresh Start Organics, Ginto Fine Chocolates, Good Food Community, Habi Footwear, Heaven’s Dew, Jacinto & Lirio, Kapwa Greens, Kayamanan ni Juan, Kiculo & Gato, KKK Coffee, Klowil Kem Libon Org Inc., Klowil MPC, LASIWWAI, Onda Swim Enterprise, Organic Options Inc., Rehobot Association, Risque Designs, Scoop Garden Ice Cream, Shine Native Products Marketing, Solar Solutions Inc., Southern Leyte Integrated Farmers and Fisherfolks, Sustainable Alternative Lighting Corp. (SALT), The Churner Group Inc., and We are Juan.

From August 15-19, 2016, the semi-finalists went through their 1st bootcamp where they were trained how to strengthen their business models, increase their social impact, and pitch to potential impact investors.

Mentors of the first bootcamp included Jeannie Javelosa, Co-Founder and Director of ECHOstore, Krie Lopez, Founder of Messy Bessy, Rob Crisostomo, Founder of Seed Core Philippines, Charlie Villasenor, CEO of TransProcure, Jocelyn Alviar, Vice President Human Resources of Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), Carlo Calimon, Founder of MobKard, Priya Thachadi, Program Head of Villigro Fellowship, and Artie Lopez, Founder of Brainsparks Philippines.

Bootcamp attendees also learned from experts about strategies and solutions to some of the problems that they may face putting up their own businesses. Some of the topics were Taxation by Mon Abrea, Impact Investing by Bong Soto, Digital Marketing by Carlo Calimon, Legal by Atty. Bheejhay Sanchez, and Financial Management by Anton Mauricio.

After the first bootcamp, the social enterprises will be judged according to their pitches and their investment proposals, after which only 20 teams will be chosen to go through the 2nd bootcamp. At the end of the challenge, 10 of the best social enterprises will be awarded with mentoring and incubation, grants and loans, and more.

The BPI Sinag Challenge 2016 is a program of BPI Foundation that supports social enterprises or businesses with a social mission. This year, the BPI Sinag Challenge has two categories – BPI Sinag Accelerate for social enterprises ready to scale-up and BPI Sinag U for university students. Peace and Equity Foundation and Ateneo Center for Social Entrepreneurship (ACSEnt) are the partner organizations for each category respectively. While the selection for BPI Sinag Accelerate has ended, the students from the partner universities can join BPI Sinag U until end of September.

Visit http://sinag.bpifoundation.org/ for more information.

News

BPI Sinag Awards Top 5 Social Enterprises

Karaw Craftventures wins grand award

October 06, 2015

BPI Foundation, in collaboration with the Ateneo Center for Social Entrepreneurship (ACSENT) and BPI Family Ka-Negosyo, awarded young social entrepreneurs at the first ever BPI Sinag Pitch Day at the Alpha Tents in Makati City.

The grand awardees of BPI Sinag, Paul Andrew Orpiada and Leciel Ramos of Karaw Craftventures, a social enterprise and design hub that upcycles scrap material into novelty
gifts and lifestyle products. The Ragpet Project is the flagship brand that helps in the
rehabilitation of women inmates in Naga City District Jail by providing sustainable livelihood
activities and introducing an in-prison skills development program for poverty and crime
reduction.

BPI Sinag is a business plan competition aimed at empowering young Filipino entrepreneurs with a social mission. Over 150 entries from around the Philippines were submitted to BPI Foundation, 40 of which were chosen to go through a Social Entrepreneurship Boot Camp and the best 10 going on to participate at the BPI Sinag Pitch Day.

“We knew that we wanted to tap and empower millennials—this young and energetic generation of idealists, doers, and changemakers, whose purpose is just as important as profit. The youth see all kinds of connections and possibilities and are filled to the brim with ideas on how to make the world a better place. Let’s make the most of the BPI Sinag experience and use it as a platform for dreams of a better Philippines to actually happen,” said Fidelina Corcuera, Executive Director, BPI Foundation.

During the event, 10 finalists were given a chance to pitch their social enterprise business plans to a panel of judges consisting of Jim Ayala, social entrepreneur and founder of Hybrid Social Solutions Inc.; Josiah Go, Chairman and Chief Marketing Strategist of Mansmith and Fielders Inc.; Chit Juan, Founder of ECHOStore; Ramon Lopez, Go Negosyo Executive Director; Injap Sia, property developer and founder of Mang Inasal; and Mark Yu, CFO of SEAOIL Philippines.

The top 10 finalists of BPI Sinag,a project of the BPI Foundation in collaboration with the Ateneo Center for Social Entrepreneurship and BPI Family Ka-Negosyo that aims to discover, capacitate, recognize and support young social entrepreneurs, (L-R) Mon Abrea, Chief Strategy Officer, ACG; Fidelina Corcuera, Executive Director, BPI Foundation; Allister Roy Chua and Janina Mikaella Chiong of Habi Footwear; Asa Feinstein of CocoAsenso; Alvin Kingson Tan of Siglo; Dr. Winston Fopalan of Micromedics; Kevin Philip Gayao of AGMULA; Fabien Courteille of Plush and Play; Herxilia Protacio and Ron Dizon of Bayani Brew; Catherine Patacsil and Tajen Sui of First Harvest; Leciel Ramos of Karaw Craftventures; Jaime Agusto Zobel de Ayala,Chairman and CEO of Ayala Corporation; Ryan Gersava of Virtualahan; Paul Andrew Orpiada of Karaw Craftventures; Cezar P. Consing, BPI President; and Atty. Jaime Hofileña, VP for Social Development, Ateneo de Manila University.

The social entrepreneurs’ business plans were judged based on the following criteria: 20%, social impact and business model; 20%, market strategy and competitive analysis; 20, design and development plan; 20%, financial plan; 10%, management and organizational plan; and 10%, pitch presentation and summary of overall business plan.

Each of the top five finalists was awarded P200,000, a six-month mentorship, and access to the Ateneo Business Incubation Center. On top of this prize, the grand awardee also received P300,000. All the awardees will also be given access to financing options such as crowdfunding, debt and equity and venture philanthropy.

The grand awardee also received a credit line of up to P500,000 from BPI Family Ka-Negosyo while a credit line of up to P200,000 was also given to the other four awardees.

The top five awardees were Herxilia Protacia and Ron Dizon of Bayani Brew, Asa Feinstein of CocoAsenso, Fabien Courteille of Plush and Play, Alvin Kingston Tan of Siglo, and grand awardees Paul Andrew Orpiada and Leciel Ramos of Karaw Craftventures.

Moreover, BPI Family Ka-Negosyo granted each top five awardee P100,000 worth of advertising mileage via Facebook promoted posts and a Ka-Negoyso credit line of up to P300,000. A People’s Choice Award worth P20,000 for the finalist with the most number of “likes” on Facebook was awarded to Herxilia Protacia and Ron Dizon of Bayani Brew

The finalists who participated during the BPI Sinag pitch day are Kevin Philip Gayao of Agritech Mutual Laboratories (AGMULA); Herxilia Protacio and Ron Dizon of Bayani Brew Inc.; Asa Feinstein of CocoAsenso; Catherine Patacsil and Tajen Sui of First Harvest; Janine Mikaella Chiong and Allister Roy Chua of Habi Footwear Fabien Courteille; Paul Andrew Orpiada and Leciel Ramos of Karaw Craftventures; Winston Fopalan, M.D. of MicroMedics; Fabien Courteille of Plush & Play; Alvin Kingson Tan of Siglo; and Ryan Gersava of Virtualahan. The finalists come from various industries such as manufacturing and production, IT and business process outsourcing, health and wellness, and retail and trade.

BPI recognizes that social enterprises are one of the sustainable ways to engage and uplift those at the bottom of the pyramid, allowing for inclusive growth. It is the goal of BPI Sinag to encourage members of the private sector to participate in the development of social enterprises as a way to create jobs and provide basic services for those in the country that need it most. Open to individuals aged 18-35 years old, BPI Sinag was designed for the youth whose mindset is ideal for social entrepreneurship.

“This is not the last investment we will make in them [the youth], we wish for them to succeed so we can invest in them more,” said BPI President and CEO Cezar P. Consing to the grantees.

"All of us in the private sector have a role in creating supportive environments that allow entrepreneurs to be creative, to take risks and to try to change the business environment for the better," said Chairman and CEO of Ayala Corporation Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala.

The BPI Sinag Pitch Day also included a discussion on how the public and private sector can enable the youth in inclusive social development. The discussion panel included Chairman and CEO of Ayala Corporation Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, President and CEO of RFM Corporation Joey Concepcion, Professor of Economics and head of the USAID Trade-Related Assistance for Development (TRADE) Project Dr. Cielito Habito, DTI Undersecretary Zeny Maglaya and founder and CEO of AVA Online Group Oliver Segovia.

For more information on the 10 finalists and to learn more about BPI Sinag and its mission to discover, develop, and support young social entrepreneurs, visit http://sinag.bpifoundation.org/. Join the discussion and add BPI Sinag on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/bpisinag and Twitter http://twitter.com/bpisinag.

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‘Show Me, Teach Me’ program boosts entreps from Bukidnon

July 30, 2015

“As a designer, I need fresh ideas on how to further improve my skills and be globally competitive. That’s why this workshop was so relevant to me,” expressed Leonida Abendano, a designer of tribal dolls from Malaybalay.

A participant shows off her art work made of clay.

Micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) are seen as major economic growth drivers.

However in the Philippines, many entrepreneurs like Leonida still lack exposure and knowledge on basic business tools, such as business planning, market research, product design and operations mapping.

Recognizing this gap, the BPI Foundation, in collaboration with DTI’s PTTC – Philippine Trade Training Center launched the “Show Me, Teach Me, MSME” program in 2010 to help empower MSMEs from all over the country.

The entrepreneurial learning sessions taught basic business skills for the first 5 years, with 2015 as its upgrade point. In line with the ASEAN Integration, the program is now capacitating MSMEs with workshops focusing on Food Packaging Labelling & Design and Product Design Enhancement & Assessment for Non-food Products – the weak points of our products in the regional market.

Participants hang their patterned art works on the wall.

Malaybalay City, Bukidnon, was the venue for the latest “Show Me, Teach Me” workshop this year, held last July 30-31, 2015 -- training over 80 entrepreneurs from both food and non-food sectors.

At the workshop, BPI Foundation Executive Director Faye Corcuera, stressed: “As entrepreneurs, it is not enough to do business, we have to look at business with a purpose. In your respective businesses for instance, make sure you engage in sustainable practices.”

The occasion was also graced by DTI’s Provincial Director Ermedio Abang, who encouraged the participants to “take advantage of this good opportunity to learn from the trainers on the concept and implementation of design since this is what would make them globally competitive.”

Respected designers Raynor Zuleta and Rey Soliven facilitated the workshop by discussing trends in design and the importance of branding and packaging.They also assessed and critiqued the products that the entrepreneurs brought to enable them to re-imagine how to upscale.

Since 2010, the program has trained over 1,800 entrepreneurs across 36 cities. It will run in six other cities later this year – Antique, Antipolo, Victoria City, Laguna, General Santos, Zambales and Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija – in the hopes of reaching and empowering more budding entrepreneurs.

Core Program

Building Partnerships with Indigenous Communities via Social Enterprise Development

In 2013, the foundation partnered with Peace and Equity Foundation (PEF), an NGO that focuses on developing business solutions and investments for Social Enterprise Development that help rural households earn more by utilizing proven social enterprise models. The partnership involved an eco-tourism project in Barangay Sinuda, Kitao-tao, Bukidnon.

Activities included the launch of the eco-tourism plan – which created jobs via handicraft-making, tours and park supervision for 197 households in Barangay Kipilas – training in project planning of 56 datus of the Federation of Matigsalog Manobo Tribes, financial planning for the 17 local staff members, and the selection of a 300-hectare communal site for a cacao and coffee plantation with 1,517 households as potential beneficiaries. For 2014-2015, 850 farmers of cassava, cacao and rice will be supported.

Core Program

Show Me, Teach Me, MSME – Empowering Entrepreneurs

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The BPI Foundation promotes the empowerment of micro, small and medium businesses. In partnership with the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) training arm, and the Philippine Trade Training Center (PTTC) , the Foundation provides free entrepreneurship development course called “Show Me, Teach Me, MSME” – Empowering Entrepreneurs. These series of training programs are held in select, key cities across the country.

The program includes four business development modules: "Starting and Maintaining a Business", "Finding the Right Market", "Basic Product Costing and Pricing" and "Basic Business Recording" – all meant to equip small entrepreneurs with information on how to create, build and maintain a business. In anticipation of ASEAN 2015, and to enhance the competitiveness of our local products, BPI Foundation included topics on “Food Packaging and Labeling Design for the Food Sector” and “Product Design Enhancement and Assessment for Non-food Sector”.