BPI Sinag Accelerate reveals top 35 social enterprises, kicks off boot camps

Manila, Philippines — BPI Sinag, one of BPI Foundation’s social innovation platforms, continues to empower social entrepreneurs in the Philippines by helping them scale up their businesses and create more positive impact on communities.

Now on its third year, BPI Sinag holds its Accelerate Boot Camp with 35 participating social enterprises, which will take part in intensive business training through BPI Foundation’s partnership with Bayan Academy for Social Entrepreneurship and Human Resource Development.

A pioneer in entrepreneurship and management training programs, Bayan Academy aims to equip social entrepreneurs with business skills, strategies and disciplines. Leading these in-depth workshops are the organization’s business gurus Dr. Eduardo Morato Jr., Bayan Academy chairman and president; Carlo Sagun, Bayan Academy consultancy and research technologies head; and John Xavier Francia, Woven Crafts co-founder and community organizer.

The partnership also enables BPI Sinag Accelerate to also reach out to more social enterprises with special focus on helping agricultural, indigenous peoples, Mindanao communities and other under-served sectors in the country.

“BPI Sinag proudly continues to its third year in supporting local enterprises to scale up and expand, thus, marking a greater impact on community development and nation building,” BPI Foundation executive director Maricris San Diego said.

"We unceasingly seek to develop BPI Sinag and partnering with organizations with profound entrepreneurial and management education expertise like Bayan Academy is the direction we see to elevate our enterprise development initiatives," San Diego added.

Following the boot camp, the 35 social entrepreneurs will pitch their business proposals to a distinguished panel of judges, including Dr. Eduardo Morato Jr. of Bayan Academy and John Aguilar, founder of StreetPark Productions Inc. and producer of the TV business reality show “The Final Pitch.”

Finalists will have the chance to join the second round of BPI Sinag Boot Camps and Awards at the end of the program in November. Top 10 awardees will gain access to grants worth P100,000 to P500,000 to scale up their social enterprises.

The 35 chosen social enterprises under the following categories are:

Food and beverage: Best Agri-Products Processing Cooperative; Brooke’s Point Coco Product Producers Cooperative; CalaBoo Dairyard Inc.; Coffee for Peace Inc.; Eldy Buy and Sell Ginger; Happy Carabao; Kayumanggi Organic; Panay Island Milk Producers’ Cooperative; Puto ni Papa; The Make Peace Bakery

Fashion and accessories: ANTHILL Fabric Gallery Inc. and Mori Creations

Gifts and novelty: Accents and Petals Crafts and Accessories; Balay Balay Architecture Puzzles; Ferangeli Guitar Handicrafter; Alternative Indigenous Development Foundation, Inc.

Assorted items: CustomMade Crafts Center Inc.

Training institutions: Bagoshphere Ph Inc.; Covenant Community Multipurpose Cooperative; Virtualahan; Lamlifew Village Museum and School of Living Tradition

Sports and recreation: Bambike Revolution Cycles; Buhatan River Eco-Adventure Service Cooperative; Gubatnon Adventourism Inc. – Lola Sayong Surf Camp; Ihawig Community Ecotourism Multi-Purpose Cooperative; Villa Socorro Farm

Agriculture: Brgy Malazarte Matag-ob Kauswagan Farmers Association Inc.; Zarraga Integrated Diversified Organic Farmers Association; Barangay Tapulang Multi-Purpose Cooperative

Services: Happy Helpers (Masasayang Nanay Home Services Corporation); Orangehub.Ph; PhilSmile; The Spark Project; Roots Katipunan.

Learn more about the BPI Sinag Program by following www.facebook.com/BPIFoundation or visiting http://sinag.bpifoundation.org.