BAGUIO CITY, Philippines – The Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship-Go Negosyo awarded seven traders in the Cordilleras as “The Most Inspiring Cordillera Autonomous Region (CAR) Entrepreneurs” for achieving success in small and medium-scale industries.
The awardees are Angelita de la Cruz of Tartland’s Pasalubong of Baguio City; Carlo Balneg of Carlo’s Bamboocrafts in Abra; Rosemarie Bestre of Gadenline Vegetables; Angelisa Calalo of Naduma Enterprises; Maria Que of Jason’s Homemade Products; Jack Dulnuan, owner of the famous Jack’s Restaurant and Jack’s Transport of La Trinidad, Benguet; and Thelma Bayle-Ng of Davidson Hotel in Tabuk City, Kalinga. Dulnuan and Ng are already big business icons in the region but they were given special awards.
The top entrepreneurs were cited last Wednesday afternoon after the Teen Negosyo Edition III seminar, which was held at Teachers Camp in Baguio City.
The eight traders were awarded for their positive contribution and inspiration to their community with their “rags-to-riches” stories. They are traders who overcame the challenges of life and served as role models through their businesses ventures.
“It is good that micro entrepreneurs are given recognition for their efforts in helping the economy no matter how small we are. Hopefully, our stories will indeed inspire others to pursue entrepreneurship,” De la Cruz said.
The Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Agriculture, Jaime Ongpin Foundation, and the Baguio-Benguet Community Credit Cooperative also endorsed the awardees.
The awardees were presented to 1,500 students, teachers, would-be entrepreneurs and out-of-school youths from various parts of the country who attended the Teen Negosyo Edition III.
Joey Pelaez, executive director of the Department of Education’s Center for Students and Co-curricular Affairs, said the seminar provided “would-be entrepreneurs with the skills to become better prepared for the future.”
Skills training started last Monday for the young participants, he said.
The Teen Negosyo program aims to create a nationwide entrepreneurial revolution by promoting an optimistic and entrepreneurial mindset among Filipinos, Pelaez explained.
Presidential Consultant for Entrepreneurship Jose Concepcion III and the DepEd, in cooperation with other groups including The Philippine STAR, spearheaded the Teen Negosyo training program for students and educators to prepare them to take on active and responsible roles in entrepreneurial endeavors.