Citi toasts the Philippines' outstanding microentrepreneurs
MANILA, Philippines - Chicken lumpia entrepreneur Carina Gonato of Consolacion, Cebu, and Corazon Bautista who runs a ready-to-wear business in Taytay, Rizal are the national winners of the recent Citi Microentrepreneur of the Year Awards (MOTY) held at the Metropolitan Museum of Manila.
Every year, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), Citi Philippines and the Microfinance Council of the Philippines, Inc. (MCPI) recognize the country’s outstanding entrepreneurs for achieving remarkable growth in their business ventures.
Funded by Citi Foundation, the MOTY Awards was launched in 2002 as part of the celebrations for Citi’s 100th year in the Philippines. It has two categories — Maunlad (progressive) and Masikap (industrious) — and awards eight microentrepreneurs including two national winners and two winners each from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
The Masikap Awards recognizes individuals who have set up businesses that are now providing a reliable source of income for their families. The Maunlad Awards pay tribute to those who have grown their ventures and are now providing employment to others beyond their family circle.
Gonato and Bautista bested 140 nominees from all over the country as the top winners for the Maunlad and Masikap awards, respectively.
Gonato started by peddling ready-made chicken lumpia sourced from a local market. Later, she decided to develop her own recipe and sell the freshly made delicacy to neighbors and friends. Today, she has an annual profit of P2.4 million, employs 43 workers, and currently delivers its products not only in Cebu, but also in Negros, Masbate, Surigao, Samar, Zamboanga, Dipolog and even Metro Manila. She is also selling in Qatar and Malaysia already.
For Bautista, a small loan and lots of determination eventually led her small ready-to-wear business to become one of Taytay’s leading corporate-wear manufacturers with an annual sales of nearly P4 million. Plans are now underway to expand the business beyond Metro Manila and even to go into export.
The other Masikap awardees were Jocelyn de Guzman of San Leonardo, Nueva Ecija (manufacturer of slippers and sandals); Anastacio Postrero from Bantayan Island, Cebu (seaweed farming); and Danelito Castro of Liloy, Zamboanga del Norte (herbal oil manufacturer and distributor).
For the Maunlad Award, the island-group winners were Natividad Gabriel of Taytay, Palawan (deep offshore fishing, red grouper culture, dried fish processing); John Cabillon of Estancia, Iloilo (seafood buying and selling, vehicles-for-hire and sari-sari store owner); and Andresa Javines of General Santos City (manufacturer and supplier of tuna packing materials and gel ice).
The national winners each received P200,000 while every island winner was awarded P100,000. To help sustain their businesses, Citi MOTY also gave three-year health and life insurance coverage to all the winners, and a grant to attend an entrepreneurship management course in Bayan Academy.
BSP Governor Amando Tetangco and Citi country officer Sanjiv Vohra were the co-chairpersons of the national selection committee that determined this year’s winners. The judges included PDI chairperson Marixi Prieto, Go Negosyo founder Joey Concepcion, Ayala Land, Inc. chairman Fernando Zobel de Ayala, Ateneo de Manila University Professor Dr. Darwin Yu, former Monetary Board member Antonino Alindogan, Jr., GMA Network chairman Atty. Felipe Gozon and Entrepreneurs School of Asia president Vivian Tan.
