Foundation Searches for Young Social Entrepreneurs

Wednesday, June 3, 2015

There are many success stories of social enterprises taking off, but most of these are in Manila. Proponents of a contest seeking to award social entrepreneurs hope to find the next success story in the provinces.

The BPI Foundation and Ateneo Center for Social Enterprise (ASCENT) are going on provincial roadshows to promote the BPI Sinag Challenge, a business plan competition aimed at empowering entrepreneurs with a social mission. Yesterday, they were in Cebu.

BPI Foundation executive director Faye Corcuera said they are targeting young entrepreneurs so they can grow in sync with the country’s “pulsating economic energy.”

Corcuera noted that in spite of the high growth the Philippines has experienced in recent years, the poverty rate remains at 26 percent and there are 2.56 million who are jobless. Aside from wealth not trickling down to the poor, she said there are many social problems that need addressing.

“Solutions are within reach. The private sector can do its share of putting in investments that can create jobs,” she said.

Source: Sun.Star Cebu (link opens in a new window)

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poverty alleviation, social enterprise