Filipino student-entrepreneurs to vie for regional honors

(In Photo: Representing the Philippines in the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards in Malaysia are (from left) Benjamin Ilagan, Kristal Leen de Guzman, Mary Anne Collantes, Mark Kevin Nuñez and Crisanto Flores VI.)

Written by Ricardo D. Cruz

FIVE student-entrepreneurs equipped with skills, critical and creative thinking, and passion to improve the quality of their lives and communities will represent the Philippines in the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards (GSEA) regional competition in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on October 5.

The competition is being spearheaded by the Entrepreneur’s Organization (EO) Philippines, which offers an avenue for young entrepreneurs to be recognized, trained and supported by a global network of top entrepreneurs.

“Our thrust is to be able to give back and encourage entrepreneurs in the country. To do that, we are recognizing students early on, and hopefully give them mentorship and help them grow their business and eventually become members of our organization,” EO-GSEA Chairman and Managing Director of ROI Corp. Investments Sheila Ramos told the BusinessMirror.

The EO-GSEA is open to budding student-entrepreneurs who are currently undergraduate students of a college or university and are primarily responsible for the operation of a business that has been in operation for no less than six consecutive months.

Of the applicants who joined the Philippine leg of EO-GSEA, 12 student-entrepreneurs coming from different universities in the Metro reached the finals mentored by an EO member. They presented their business platforms to a panel of entrepreneur-judges.

Out of the 12 finalists, five student-entrepreneurs topped the recently concluded EO-GSEA held in F1 Hotel, Bonifacio Global City.

Benjamin Ilagan of Ateneo de Manila University presented a product dubbed as “Amaize,” the first and only supplier off all-natural corn-fiber clothing in the Philippines.

Crisanto Flores IV of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines promoted “Wear His Word,” a firm that produces and distributes clothing that shares God’s words through quality shirts.

Mary Anne Collantes of Ateneo de Manila University leads “Kultura Kamp,” a social enterprise that sets up cultural excursions to promote the protection of cultures of the partner-tribes.

Mark Kevin Nuñez of the University of Asia and the Pacific set up “MKNUNEZ Enterprises,” an online business engaged in trading unique corporate giveaways.

Kristal Lee de Guzman from The One School completed the five winners with her “Risque Designs,” a Filipino brand that focuses on customized and limited artisan footwear that incorporates the use of local materials and artisan skills.

According to Steve Benitez, head of the panel of judges and founder of Bo’s Coffee, deliberations on the finalists were based on the following criteria with 25 points each: the entrepreneur himself; the business model; ability to learn and apply what was learned; and growth class.

During the awards night, the judges recognized that it was tough to select the winners because all the student-entrepreneurs showed talent and potential.

The local winners will compete in Kuala Lumpur for the regional competition. They will compete against the student-entrepreneurs of Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and Japan.

Winners of the regional competition will be sent to the GSEA finals in Washington, D.C., in November to compete against 30 of the world’s top student-entrepreneurs for a chance to win $150,000 in cash and donated business services.

“I feel like Filipino entrepreneurs are very creative, they are resourceful and they know their market because it’s them. I think all they need is the chance and opportunity [to] really make it big, and I really think that Filipino entrepreneurs are the next big thing,” Ilagan told the BusinessMirror.

(Also published on Wednesday, October 2, 2013 issue of BusinessMirror)

Food carts for aspiring Filipino entrepreneurs

Written by Ricardo D. Cruz

Food carts are as ubiquitous as jeepneys plying the streets of Metro Manila. They can be found in every street corner. They sell anything that is edible—kwek kwek, fishballs, squid balls and kikiam. Hygiene and food safety are concerns for some but these do not prevent Filipinos from flocking to these food carts.

Stallmart Inc. believes this penchant of Filipinos for consuming gastronomic delights sold in food carts can be profitable for aspiring entrepreneurs. With this in mind, the company has offered food-cart franchising to Filipinos who want to have their own business but do not want to spend millions.

“Franchising has had a positive contribution to the Philippine economy. It also offers great business opportunities to entrepreneurs without requiring them to invest a lot of money,” Terry Yap, business development and franchising director of Mister Donut Philippines, said.

Established last year, Stallmart was created by the same group that was responsible for over 30 years of Mister Donut’s success in the Philippines. The company is targeting to become a leader in the stall and kiosk industry with the addition of three more brands to its offerings—Thirtea, NYC Fold N’ Roll and Little Mexico. Stallmart already franchises Siomai Central and Tik-Tok food carts.

Yap said the company is positioning Thirtea as the provider of “the best milk-tea experience,” especially for consumers on-the-go.

“Nowadays, there is a growing preference for a healthier lifestyle and this reflects in the food industry with healthy choices flourishing all over the Metro. The last few years have also seen the boom of milk tea, with tea being a healthier alternative to coffee,” he said.

Stallmart is also bringing to the Philippines New York-style pizza through NYC Fold N’ Roll food carts. Yap believes that this product will captivate the taste buds of Filipinos.

“These juicy, mouthwatering pizzas turned out to be soft and chewy that people could actually fold them. This gave rise to our modern-day New York pizza,” he said.

Yap revealed that Stallmart is targeting to launch Little Mexico food carts in December this year. These food carts, he said, will offer traditional Mexican cuisine to Filipinos.

“Little Mexico will offer the different flavors in bite-sized servings. This will give consumers a more enjoyable eating experience,” Yap said.

Currently, Stallmart has over 90 franchised stores all over the country. Stallmart kiosks and food carts can be found as far as Baguio in the north and even in Zamboanga in the south.

(Also published on Wednesday, October 2,2013 issue of BusinessMirror)

“Google for Entrepreneurs Week”

Written by Ricardo D. Cruz

TECHNOLOGY has opened doors for innovation in various fields. One of these is entrepreneurship. Nowadays, entrepreneurs need to be net-savvy and knowledgeable on how to target their market with their sales tactics and information dissemination effectively.

This drives Google to empower the micro, small, and medium enterprises in the Philippines by equipping them with tools to help them become innovators in sales through the “Google for Entrepreneurs Week.”

“Technology is a powerful tool to empower Filipino entrepreneurs and developers to succeed in their craft, and this event is just one of many we’re hosting to help them along the way. Throughout the year, we hold several informative sessions through the Google Business Group [GBG] and Google Developers Group [GDG] communities. To reach more people, we’re making these events accessible to the public for free,” said Aileen Apolo-de Jesus, outreach program manager for Google Southeast Asia.

Google for Entrepreneurs Week featured technology talks for entrepreneurs and developers moderated by experts in the fields of business and technology on October 4 at the Asia Institute of Management Conference Center.

“Google for Entrepreneurs Week is our way of celebrating a year of empowering entrepreneurs around the world through programs, partnerships and products through the Google for Entrepreneurs team,” Apolo-de Jesus said.

During the workshops, GBG exposed entrepreneurs to many possibilities where technology can be maximized for the success of their business through Google tools that include Google AdWords, Google Trends, Google Analytics and Google+.

The Manila event was one of 45 cities worldwide that celebrated Google for Entrepreneurs Week with community meet ups, mentorship sessions and product training workshops that all promote the importance of Google for entrepreneurs.

Google for Entrepreneurs has programs all over the world that foster entrepreneurship skills and empower the next generation of innovators to become successful.

Representatives from Google Philippines, various agencies and experts from GBG and GDG communities graced the event.

GBG is a community of business professionals sharing knowledge about Google Web technologies for business success, while GDG is a community for developers to learn about Google’s developer technologies.

“At Google, we value the role of entrepreneurs and developers in nation-building, so we provide them a venue to be educated about Google tools to help their businesses succeed,” Apolo-de Jesus highlighted.

(Also published on Wednesday, October 2, 2013 issue of BusinessMirror)

UP students tapped for Pinoy ‘Siri’

                                                          

                                 Written by Ricardo Cruz

WOULD Google’s new voice-recognition platform for hand-held phones use “Filipinas” or “Pilipinas”?

If it does for both, the company’s Philippines office’s software may be succesful in recognizing the nuances.

Gail Tan, Google Philippines head of public affairs and communications, said its voice-recognition platform can recognize regional accents in Pilipino “but isn’t 100-percent perfect.”

“The good thing about it is that the language model improves as more people use it.”

The language model was based on voices of students of the University of the Philippines.

Tan explained that they did so “to have a wider demographic voice samples.”

“Once the samples were collected, acoustical and language models were built to teach computers how to recognize Pilipino.”

Called “Filipino Voice Search,” the software allows a user to search for words by just speaking on their phone.

“When visiting google.com.ph with the language set to Filipino, users can click on the microphone icon to get Google to start listening,” the company’s news briefing materials said.

“A working microphone attached to your computer is needed,” Tan said.

She added that the search platform allows the user to ask anything, anywhere, “without the need to type your question by the use of keyboard.”

The software is activated for mobile devices running Android 2.0 or higher only and on desktop computers via the Chrome browser.

Tan said the major challenge during the formulation of the new feature is that Pilipino speakers frequently mix several languages in their daily lives, most notably English.

Tan added that to be able to construct an accurate language model, Google had to ensure that the lexicon could predict pronunciations for English words that were mixed in with the Pilipino.

(Also published on Monday, September 23, 2013 issue of BusinessMirror)

From left: Roy Torrentira, Arizza Ann Nocum, Erick Epistola and Dr. Anton Mari Lim

(Photo by Alysa Salen)

 

By Ricardo D. Cruz

 A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles. This statement supports the Cobra Energy Drink in honoring Filipino’s incomparable acts that go beyond the call of duty through the Cobra Pinoy Heroes 2013.

“These new Cobra Pinoy Heroes have shown that there are no problems too big to be solves. It only starts with a small dream to bring about change, and this is why these are the people… heroes in their own ways, who we need today to inspire and lead people to have better lives,” said Abe Ciprano, Asia Brewery marketing assistant vice president for non-alcoholic brands.

The recognition for exemplary hero-like qualities includes the categories of youth, work force, service, and modern day hero, which support the brand’s motto of “Lakas ng Pinas”.

With her passion to equip the minds and the souls of more than 200 Muslim-Catholic students, Arizza Ann Nocum is the recipient of the Cobra Pinoy Hero youth award.

Nocum believes that growing up with two different religions with her Muslim mother and Catholic father is not a hindrance in attaining peace, which led her family to establish the “KRIS library” that gives scholarships to under-privileged children in Zambaonga city.

Meanwhile, Roy Torrentira, a taxi driver-turned-lawyer, is recognized as Cobra Pinoy Hero Workforce awardee for his passion in attaining his dreams despite the hardships that came his way.

Torrentira came from a poor family in Bohol that led him to take on different odd jobs, including being an ice-cream vendor, car wash boy, delivery truck driver and taxi driver–all these to be able to reach his dream of becoming a lawyer.

Now, Torrentira practices his profession by providing free legal counsel for non-governmental organizations and indigenous people through the Sacdalan Law office in Sta. Cruz, Manila.

The Cobra Pinoy Hero Service Award is given to Erick Epistola for his invaluable contribution in developing affordable compact solar home lighting system for families in remote areas through his Solar Power Initiative (SPIN) project.

Through the SPIN project, 86 Mangyan families and 500 houses in rural areas have been given the gift of light, and he continuously conducts workshops among various groups on how to set up a solar lighting system to expand the project’s beneficiaries.

A 46-year-old veterinarian by profession, Dr. Anton Lim, is the Cobra Modern-Day Hero for his “Yellow Boat of Hope” project that transports children from their houses to schools.

According to Dr. Lim, it was an eye-opener for him seeing children of Layag-Layag in Zamboanga city swimming just to reach school.

Dr. Lim added that there are 370 boats have helped 21 communities nationwide and the project continues to benefit even more small island communities in the country.

Each of the awardees received P150,000, which, according to them, will be used in broadening their advocacies and extending aid to people in need.

Ciprano said the votes that determined the awardees were through online and on-ground voting. A total of 50,000 votes were cast.

During the recent presentation of awardees to the media, the awardees expressed the hope that through the Cobra Pinoy Hero Awards, more Filipinos will engage in heroic acts to benefits communities.

(Also published on Friday-Saturday, September 13-14, 2013 issue of BusinessMirror)

Group ramps up promotion of veggie take-up project

(Mark Bautista for Oh My Gulay! campaign)

By Ricardo Cruz

 

A GROUP organized and supported by a lawmaker is ramping up a project to increase the take up of vegetables by Filipino children.

The two-year-old advocacy campaign dubbed Oh My Gulay! was relaunched last week on the heels of a probe of lawmakers who allegedly abused the Priority Development Assistance Fund.

“OMG! creates awareness among Filipino families on nutritive value of common vegetables by establishing vegetable gardens in public schools and equipping children the importance of eating vegetables through various interactive ways that include classroom lectures, and vegetable-planting and harvesting,” a press briefing material said.

The advocacy campaign has reached over 30,000 students and 500 faculty members in 82 schools across the country since 2011.

It was organized by former Sen. Edgardo Angara and being continued by his son, Sen.

Edgardo Angara Jr.

Josie Paule, OMG! executive director, who organized a lunch for reporters at the Bonifacio Global City cited the uniqueness of the campaign.

Paule said the advocacy campaign aims to encourage parents and children to plant vegetables in their backyards.

She added this would allow children and their parents not only to have easy access to nutritious foods but also allows children to experience harvesting the food that they’re going to eat.

“Doing so also creates more time for the family to have quality time with each other.”

Paule added that the OMG! advocacy campaign is a consortium among government agencies, private corporations, and individual volunteers engaged to support and ensure the success of empowering children through nutritious foods.

She added they enlisted people from show business and nearly a dozen corporate foundations for support and funds, respectively.

Paule said the advocacy campaign is being implemented by the East-West Seed Foundation and the Department of Education.

According to Senator Angara, he is continuing his father’s advocacy campaign because he is “alarmed” at the country’s malnutrition rate.

Sans citing sources, Angara said three out of 10 schoolchildren in the country are suffering from “hidden hunger,” which is the effect of vitamin and mineral deficiency.

According to him, is the leading cause of malnutrition where it hits at the core of individual’s health and energy.

Senator Angara said he believes that the most sound and cost-effective way to fight the silent killer, “hidden hunger” is by having proper eating habits of vitamin and mineral-rich vegetables.

(Also published on Monday, September 9, 2013 issue of BusinessMirror)

Science group gives awards to 4 outstanding S&T contributions

By Ricardo D. Cruz

HIGH aims for high characters, and great objects bring out great minds. This statement supports the Philippine Association for the Advancement of Science Inc. (PhilAAS) in honoring this year’s four outstanding contributors in science and technology who were acclaimed in promoting empowerment and inculcation of a culture of excellence and integrity among Filipino scientists.

According to Science Undersecretary Fortunato de la Peña, who is also the PhilAAS president, the awards recognize the Filipinos’ exceptional works in various fields of science researches that have been used widely, and the output of the researches, which made significant impact in the society and served as models for future generations.

The recognition for scientific contributions are the Gregorio Zara Award for Basic Science Research, and Applied Science Research; Paulo Campos Award for Medical Research; and Esther Vibal Award for Educational Technology Innovation. The awardees recently were presented in advance to a select group of reporters. The awarding ceremonies will be held during PhilAAS’s annual convention on September 12.

With her significant contribution in food microbiology, especially toward the solution of the aflatoxin problem in both food and feed, Dr. Ida Dalmacio is the recipient of the Gregorio Zara Award for Basic Science Research.

Dalmacio’s work on the database of microorganisms and on the chemical detoxification of aflatoxin-contaminated products, including corn, sorghum and peanut, has viewed that the application of ammonia and propionic acid to these commodities avoids mold growth and aflatoxin formation, and reduces its content in contaminated agricultural crops.

Also recognized with the Gregorio Zara Award, this time in the Applied Science Research category, Dr. Nelia Cortes-Maramba was cited for her contribution in improving health-care delivery in the country, specifically in the field of herbal medicine.

Maramba is a founding member of the National Integrated Research Program on Medicinal Plants, which is engaged in setting out the verification of curative properties of plants. She is also acknowledged for her technological support in the process of enabling pharmaceutical companies in setting a foothold of herbal medicines in the local market.

Ernesto Boydon, who has 28 years of experience in information technology (IT), was recognized with the Esther Vibal Award for his vast contribution in e-learning system.

He developed an integrated e-layer to be used as community portal on learning management systems. Boydon is also an IT educator in major universities in the country offering IT and Computer Science courses.

The Paulo Campos Award is given to Dr. Carmencita Padilla for being the brainchild of newborn screening in the country.

She advocated the enactment of Republic Act 9288, or the Newborn Screening Act, that aims early identification of infants affected by certain genetic, metabolic, or infectious conditions, which can lead to significant reduction of morbidity, mortality and disabilities in affected infants.

De la Peña explained that the association has constituted a high-powered selection committee to do its own search for possible nominees on the different awards.

Each of the awardees will receive P50,000, which, according to them, they will use in enhancing their studies and extending aid to people in need, including patients in the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) and students pursuing career in the field of science and technology.

“These awards serve as avenue to promote and encourage the education of the youth and the application of science and technology in everyday lives,” de la Peña said.

During the recent presentation of awardees to the media, all four are thankful to be recognized with the aspiration that their stories will touch others to perform even greater that would help in promoting the value of science to the community.

(Also published on Sunday, September 8, 2013 issue of BusinessMirror)

Unique QC organization for elderly takes care of Tatalon’s “precious gems”

By Ricardo D. Cruz

(In Photo: Barangay Tatalon Senior Citizens Organization members during the “Oldies but Groovies: Season 2,” an inter-barangay dance contest among the elderly in Quezon City where the group won first runnerup. Group treasurer Nelly Panganiban (third from right) choreographed the group.)

THE barangay council of Tatalon in Quezon City takes on the initiative to support and give what is due to the “precious gems” of the barangay, the elderly, due to the absence of concrete plans or programs for them by the local government, as what was previously reported on this newspaper.

The Barangay Tatalon Senior Citizens Organization (Batasco), an accredited elderly organization of the barangay, continuously receives support from the barangay council through the different programs and activities of the association.

Benedick Bañega, barangay captain of Tatalon, said the barangay council has allocated 1 percent, or an estimated P300,000 from the total annual budget of the council to fund different activities and programs for the elderly of the barangay.

Bañega said one of the major programs funded by the barangay for its “precious gems” is the medical assistance, wherein the elderly are given discounts when buying in generic pharmacies within the barangay.

To be entitled to this perk, members of Batasco should present a medical prescription to the association president and, once approved by the officer, a guarantee letter is signed and issued by the barangay chairman.

This perk is anchored through the memorandum of understanding between the barangay council and generic pharmacies within the barangay.

Edwin Abaño, barangay councilor, told the BusinessMirror that the barangay council is currently working on the hospitalization assistance for the elderly worth P100,000 with the East Avenue Medical Center.

He said the elderly are entitled to a P500 voucher for medicine released during their birthdays through the project of House Speaker Sonny Belmonte.

The Batasco has a total of 1,200 registered elderly members, with one aged 98 as the oldest “precious gem” in the barangay.

To become a member of the association, the elderly must secure an application form from the Batasco office, present an Office for Senior Citizens Affairs ID and pay a registration fee of P50.

Rosita Fajardo, Batasco secretary, said the association undertakes a lot of fund-raising activities to support their various programs in aiding the elderly of the barangay.

The fund-raising projects include a bingo social held twice a year they consider as one of the major budget sources of the association; Mr. and Mrs. Senior Citizen of Batasco; and Mr. and Mrs. Valentine of Batasco.

Batasco members are also active participants in the city-wide contests among the elderly, like the “Sayaw sa Barangay: Sayaw Lolo, Sayaw Lola” and “Oldies but Groovies 2012,” which they won as first runner-up.

Fajardo said Batasco exercises a harmonious relationship with its members through a regular meeting conducted every last Monday of the month to update members on different matters concerning the organization and to present the latest budget report to employ transparency and accountability.

Aside from the barangay council, Fajardo said the organization is also helped by the Philippine Red Cross by allotting P25,000 to support its various activities.

Batasco is the accredited elderly organization in Barangay Tatalon because the association conducts the election of officers every two years, when the barangay council acts as the independent body and moderator throughout the campaign and election period. This is in lieu with the resolution released by the barangay council in 2010 urging all senior citizens to have an election to exercise fairness among its members.

The Batasco officers told the BusinessMirror that they will soon accommodate more elderly transacting in their office, as soon as they transfer to a new building sponsored by Belmonte.

(Also published on Monday, September 2, 2013 issue of BusinessMirror)

PHL to seek inclusion in EU’s GSP+

Written by Ricardo D. Cruz

THE Philippines is seeking to increase its exports to member-countries of the European Union (EU) with its application for additional duty-free privileges under a new trade scheme that will take effect next year.

Trade Undersecretary Adrian Cristobal Jr. said the Philippines is all set to file its application for the EU’s new Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) scheme, or GSP+.

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said the GSP+ of the EU is a special incentive for sustainable development and governance. It is anchored on the effective implementation of 27 international conventions on human and labor rights, environment and governance principles.

The DTI noted that the EU’s regular GSP, a package from which the Philippines is currently benefiting, covers 6,209 tariff lines. Of this figure, 3,767 are subject to reduced tariffs, while the rest enjoy zero duty.

Cristobal said GSP+ offers a more “generous” scheme of preferences and covers 6,274 products, all of which are subject to zero duty.

“The DTI has been holding a series of briefings with stakeholders to provide them information on the 
requirements and processes in applying for the GSP+ scheme and its benefits,” Cristobal said.

He said he recently met with representatives from the tuna and garments sectors to relay the government’s assurance of assistance, particularly on issues related to non-tariff measures and rules of origin.

The tuna and garments sectors are two of the manufacturing sectors that are expected to enjoy huge benefits from the EU scheme.

Industry associations, which include the Confederation of Garment Exporters of the Philippines, Textile Mills Association of the Philippines and the Garment Business Association of the Philippines, said the GSP+ is expected to create 40,000 new jobs in the textiles and garments sector in the first eight months after qualifying for it.

The Tuna Canners Association of the Philippines indicated that the volume of canned-tuna exports to the EU is seen to increase by 64 percent, and will subsequently result to an increase in the industry’s employment by 70 percent.

Cristobal said the zero-duty preference will also benefit other items that the Philippines is currently exporting under the regular GSP, which include animal/vegetable fats and oils, machinery and mechanical appliances, chemical products, and plastic products.

Based on conservative DTI estimates, Philippine exports to the EU are projected to increase by 12 percent and create an additional 270,000 jobs.

In 2012 Philippine GSP exports to EU reached €1.07 billion.  Largest users of GSP preferences are: chemical products (€101.0 million ); live animal and animal products (€12 million); vegetable products (€5 million); wood and articles of wood (€5 million); and jewelry (€31 million).

 (Also published on Monday, August 19, 2013 issue of BusinessMirror)

PHL to convince US on GSP

Recognizing the benefits from the Generalized System of Preference (GSP) program of the United States, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is formulating ways to make sure Philippine products will retain their duty-free access to the American market.

The Philippines, along with other GSP-eligible developing countries, will urge the US Congress to prolong the authorization of the program beyond the July 31 expiration this year.

The Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C., will spearhead the country’s call in expanding the program, according to Trade Undersecretary Adrian S. Cristobal Jr.

The legal authorization for the GSP program covered only until July 31, 2013 as mandated in the US Code Title 19 or the Customs Duties Section 2465.

As a result, imports that were previously eligible for duty-free treatment under GSP will be subject to regular or normal duties as of midnight of August 1, according to the office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR).

USTR said the GSP authorization has expired on several previous occasions since its institution on January 1, 1976 via the Trade Act of 1974.

USTR added that it is not yet known when Congress will prolong the GSP program, but many American lawmakers have voiced strong support for it.

Philippine exports worth $1.2 billion entered the US duty-free under the GSP program last year, making the country among the top 6 GSP beneficiaries, along with India, Thailand, Brazil, Indonesia and South Africa.

The products qualified for duty-free treatment under GSP include chemicals, minerals and building stone, jewelry, carpets and certain agricultural and fishery products.

(Also published on Tuesday, August 6, 2013 issue of BusinessMirror)