Cory and a farmer named Robert

In the closing years of her life, Corazon Aquino chose to get involved in micro-entrepreneurship and micro-finance as part of her various socio-economic activities directed at uplifting the lives of the less privileged sectors of society.

She could have given so much more to this initiative given her ability to mobilize and sustain programs solely based on her credibility as a leader and being the 11th president of the Republic. But her personal fight against an advanced cancer had to be given priority in 2008.

Getting involved in the campaign to support micro-entrepreneurship is a commitment that requires life-long dedication. Work is painstaking because it requires re-awakening people’s minds and hearts so that they may once again hope to live better lives.

Any progress often comes in baby steps; and may even be regressive when there are severe setbacks in the targeted beneficiaries’ behavior. Working with different kinds of people, many who have not had adequate educational training, requires great patience.

Micro-enterprise development needs heroes

Micro-enterprise development in the Philippines is an area that needs heroes who have the passion to bringing change in our countrymen’s lives, those whose minds have been numbed by the cycle of poverty for too many long, hard years.

It is also a commitment that requires a deep understanding of the role of the many sectors in the community, or stakeholders, that can act as catalysts in hastening change, and therefore bringing about truly improved lifestyles that are based on sustainable growth. We’re talking here of local governments, businesses, civic institutions, and other socio-economic non-profit organizations.

Robert’s story

What may seem as merely do-good mumbo-jumbo to our readers can be best illustrated by one good story shared by PinoyME Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization involved in micro-financing that former president Cory co-founded in 2007.

This is about farmer Robert Laguitao, who last June 22, with his wife Gwendina trekked for seven hours from Bantic in mountainous Benguet to San Manuel, Pangasinan to present a proposal for kintoman rice farming to the San Roque Power Corp. (SRPC) staff, including SRPC president and CEO Ryukichi Kawaguchi.

Together with other aspiring micro-entrepreneurs, Robert was participating in a PinoyME-SRPC program, the latter partner having been involved in providing microfinance services to communities in Pangasinan and Benguet.

To step up the impact of their microfinance program, SRPC had partnered with PinoyME and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to implement the community driven enterprise development (CDED) approach.

Community-driven enterprise development

The CDED is a framework being developed by PinoyME together with the DSWD, and is being piloted by SRPC as an approach to integrate business principles and techniques necessary for the implementation of livelihood or enterprise projects with community participatory processes that enable the poor from the target communities to prepare their business plans.

The CDED was brought about by the unity of partners from different institutions, all of which share PinoyME’s view that empowerment is the most efficient tool against poverty.

The framework was developed through a World Bank grant, while the implementation plan was formulated through a Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) grant. PinoyME is also working with the DSWD to promote sustainable entrepreneurship among poverty-stricken Filipinos. Private corporations like the SRPC and the Petron Foundation, Inc. are sharing their resources and staff to implement the program.

Comprehensive process

In contrast to other poverty alleviation programs, CDED does not only lend funds or provide business training: it is a comprehensive process that gradually prepares the participant, transforming one’s mindset from that of someone mired in poverty to that of an enterprising Filipino with the optimism, work values, and commitment to succeed.

Robert, for instance, did not merely prepare his business proposal and right away presented it to SRPC. He underwent a social preparation phase that included center and community consultations as well as a participatory area development workshop.

He then took part in the project identification, selection, and planning stage, wherein he and 22 other farmers determined micro-enterprises that could best impact their communities. SRPC staff also guided the farmers in organizing the proposals.

That June 22, Robert and wife set out for the project approval phase. They participated in a technical review of proposals. The PinoyME Foundation team with its president and CEO Dan Songco provided inputs to improve the proposals, and to make sure that the proposed micro-enterprises were both profitable and rewarding.

Big business support

On the other side of the CDED process was the wholehearted participation of SRPC. Robert says SRPC had provided the farmers with 12 carabaos and a water source, which the Bantic farmers use to cultivate their fields.

Kintoman is indigenous rice that is mostly produced in Benguet. The red brown rice is rich in protein and other nutrients, and as such can be sold for as much as P40-50 per kilo. The farmers plan to use an environmentally sound technique for raising crops that is free from synthetic pesticide, growth hormones and antibiotics.

However, the transportation of the rice is a problem as hauling it from Bantic is seen to be costly and time-consuming. The local government is planning to construct a tramline to carry goods to and from Bantic, but lack of funds has delayed the project.

Robert was therefore very surprised when, after his presentation, the SRPC president and CEO not only approved his proposal but he also expressed interest in funding the construction of the tramline. This is expected to bring not only opportunities for trade but also for tourism to Bantic.

Robert and his community of farmers can hope for a better life, thanks to people and organizations that believe in them. And thank you to Cory whose unselfish spirit of helping and giving lives on.

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Should you wish to share any insights, write me at Link Edge, 25th Floor, 139 Corporate Center, Valero Street, Salcedo Village, 1227 Makati City. Or e-mail me at [email protected]. For a compilation of previous articles, visit www.BizlinksPhilippines.net.