Towards a shared goal in helping entrepreneurs

In 2012, Romielyn Daguplo of Bukidnon decided to leave the Philippines to be an OFW in Dubai, taking with her four other siblings out of poverty. Unfortunately, she found out that she was pregnant, and being punished in the Middle East. Fearing for her and her baby’s safety, she fled and went back here. Romielyn thought that it was the end for her, but Cynthia Villar heard about her story. She was given a chance to reclaim her dreams as she was provided with a livelihood package from the Villar Foundation to start with. Today, Romielyn continues to support her family and her newborn without having to work away from home.

Meanwhile in Bulacan, Edith Lopez’s businesses are starting to flourish. She uses to be a sales representative, but she thought about opening her own business to earn better. However, her bakery and frozen delicacies business ended up costing her more, and she soon closed it with a heavy heart. She opened a smaller business, and with a P200 capital and a small ice box, she sold ice candy. Her efforts started to pay off. She then became a member of CARD, Inc., a microfinance institution helping mothers, and Hapinoy, a social enterprise co-founded by Bam Aquino. After undergoing training from Hapinoy on managing her resources, Edith was able to expand her business into a mini-grocery, a bakery, and a two-door apartment, aside from sending her children to college.

Replicating these success stories is what Bam and Cynthia have been doing for the past years. Through Hapinoy and the Villar Foundation, which they respectively established, they were able to given a chance to the poor to start business of their own. Over the years, they also became partners with Go Negosyo, an advocacy started in 2005 by Joey Concepcion that encourages Filipinos to adopt an enterprising mindset to move up in life. Bam and Cynthia became active advocates of the movement, helping Joey turn the Philippines into a nation of entrepreneurs.

An enterprise for happier Pinoys

Bam has closely worked with Go Negosyo by hosting the TV show SME, Go!: Powered by Go Negosyo in 2011. Prior to that, he was awarded as one of its Young Entrepreneurs of 2010 because of his involvement with Hapinoy, a social enterprise that he co-founded in 2006. Hapinoy provides stay-at-home mothers an opportunity to earn for their families. Like Nanay Edith, these women own sari-sari stores to help augment their families’ income. Bam’s Hapinoy helps then attain access to better suppliers so they can get their goods at a cheaper price. More than that, these nanays (mothers) are taught how to monitor their businesses closely. After undergoing training from Hapinoy, they were able to lessen stories, such as pilferage and non-payment of debt by their customers. Bam not only gave  these mothers a chance to help their families, but he also gave them the confidence that even housewives can also take control of their lives.

Helping the poor help themselves

Twenty years ago, the Villar Foundation was established by Cynthia Villar to assist the poor and the needy. Unlike other organizations that give dole-outs as a means of assistance, she believed that education would inspire and empower them to succeed. One of her projects is the Caravan Kaalaman, where they tour every province to teach women the basics skills that they need start their own negosyo (businesss), such as candle-making and basket-weaving, among others. Cynthia also chooses deserving OFW families to help their loved ones abroad to earn by giving them livelihood packages, just like what Romielyn received. These packages shall help augment the income of the families, until such time that their family members no longer have to work away from them. One of the major collaborations between Go Negosyo and the Villar Foundation is the OFWs to invest their hard-earned money to start a negosyon their own.

With the recent positive economic climate that we are having, success is getting easier to attain; but it is certainly not a walk in the park, especially for many of those who are still living below the poverty line. The challenge is not just to encourage Filipinos to be entrepreneurial, but to encourage businessmen who have already attained success to help those who are still struggling. Now that our micro, small, and medium entrepreneurs have the  means to succeed through real business models and a favorable economic climate, all they need are better laws that could help their negosyo expand further. By helping Bam and Cynthia secure a seat in the senate, we are also helping these entrepreneurs to make it. In the long run, the success of micro, small the success of our country, as we free ourselves from poverty, one negosyante(businessman) at a time