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Sharpening the Batangueño business edge |
Sharpening the Batangueño business edge
In the next leg of its Go Negosyo Caravan, the Philippine Center of Entrepreneurship (PCE) recently stopped over at the Batangas Provincial Auditorium in the Provincial Capitol of Batangas City.
As part of PCE's goal of strengthening the entrepreneurial spirit of Filipinos, the Go Negosyo Caravan gave many Batangueños a taste of what it was like to think as a cutting edge entrepreneur.
In the one-day affair, starting entrepreneurs from Batangas were given a chance to learn the secrets of the trade---from how to effectively start up their own business, the best methods of sustaining growth, to how to make sure that business runs as smoothly as possible. This was made possible by gathering the most successful of Batangas' businessmen and personalities from the growing pool of Go Negosyo entrepreneurs.
In attendance were Governor Vilma Santos-Recto and Congressman Nicanor Briones, who also assisted in the awarding of winners for contests, like the essay-writing, logo-making and KoopQuiz Contest, and the Best Performing Cooperatives.
Batangueño entrepreneurs were also recognized and awarded as Batangas' most inspiring entrepreneurs, which include: Francis S. Ganzon of Bangko Kabayan; Juan C. Katigbak of Milk Joy Corporation; Francis C. Laurel of YKK Philippines, Inc.; Peter P. Laurel of the Lyceum of the Philippines University – Batangas; Corazon T. Mendoza of CTM Knitting, Inc.; Jose H. Mercado of Merlo Agricultural Corporation; Vicente C. Montenegro Jr. of Montenegro Shipping Lines, Inc.; Arcadio L. Perez of Alps the Bus, Inc.; Eckard Rempe of The Farm; Pedro E. Roxas of Roxaco Land Corporation; and Mayolo A. Tolentino of Maycar Foods, Inc.
Also recognized as the most inspiring Batangueño microentrepreneurs including: Emmanuel A. Afable of Paper & Arts, Inc.; Julius L. Braza of Big A MPC; Tita J. Burgos of Tita's Delight Bibingka and Pastries; Marichu L. Carstensen of Doc's Candles; Gerardo F. Caubalejo of Carretonan MPC; and Alexander C. Ilagan of Xandro's Food Processing.
A special award was also conferred to Diana Limjoco-Pollard for the creation and sustainability of the website www.batangasnow.com, which serves as an online portal for any information about and related to Batangas.
Among the activities held were a forum entitled: "Go Negosyo, Sagot sa Kahirapan: Ang Bagong Pananaw," and lectures such as: "Pano Mag-isip ang Negosyanteng Bigtime?"; "Paano Ba Humanap ng Magandang Negosyo at Palakihin ito?"; "Paano Ba Makakatulong ang Teknolohiya sa Negosyo"; and "Saan Makakakuha ng Puhunan Para sa Pagpapalaki ng Negosyo."
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Most Inspiring Business Support Organizations |
Heralding unified victories
Behind the fast-paced world of corporate attires and golden paychecks, some groups of people decided to make a formidable legion geared towards uplifting the lives of those who have been shun away from glitz and glamour.
Four organizations, bearing humble beginnings and enormous dreams, form different yet similarly-oriented assemblies that transformed the livelihood and welfare of their fellow Negrenses.
The Association of Negros Producers Inc., Bacolod IT Focus Team, University of St. La Salle-Business Resource Center and the Negros Kabisig Livelihood Foundation will be recognized as four of the Most Inspiring Bacolod Entrepreneurs to be awarded by President Gloria-Macapagal Arroyo and Presidential Consultant for Entrepreneurship Jose Concepcion III on July 13-14, 2007 at the University of St. La Salle Coliseum.
With 86 members and 32 partner organizations to date, The Association of Negros Producers Inc. (ANP) started as a Manila-based organization of Negrenses that champions the cause of promoting and lobbying the interests of small and medium scale businesses, most notably during the 1985 sugar crisis. Up until now, ANP has transformed critical and hopeless situations into amazing opportunities as it becomes the gateway for the promotion of well-crafted and most indigenous products by local manufacturers.
ANP acknowledged the Pinoys’ penchant for pasalubongs by offering beautifully-designed products for travelers and occasional trippers to take home. Putting forward homegrown creativity and ingenuity, ANP serves a haven of stylish furniture and furnishings for practicality, comfort and decorative purposes, the latest fashion and unique fashion pieces, gifts including laminated native frames, jewelry boxes, decorative trays, bowls, dinner wares and the best hand-painted ceramic décor, and the most palatable food choices.
Aside from artistic innovations, Bacolod also prides itself as one of the highly-urbanized cities outside Metro Manila, with the successful penetration of information and communications technology (ICT) trends in their business circuit. Through the vision of Atty. Jocelle Batapa-Sigue on the Bacolod IT Focus Team, the city was able to embrace the reality of cyberservices as a sunshine industry that could provide thousands of employment, and a dynamic, up-to-date, and responsive manner in marketing, handling, and closing investments deals for the city’s benefit. The Bacolod IT Focus Team also implemented the Bacolod Information Technology (IT) Investment Program. Four major international call centers are currently in business in Bacolod namely, Teleperformance, TeleTech, Focus Communications and i-Solutions Outsource Asia (I/O Asia), or presently the Biz Talk Call Center. Special economic zones, IT parks and buildings and tourism development zones are also established. Through the efforts of the Bacolod IT Focus Team, modern development spreads on the Bacolod terrains, molding a globally competitive industry in the south.
However, the Bacolod trail does not only lead to business development. More importantly, it also gives importance to the people’s livelihood and the improvement of its traditional sources of living.
The University of St. LaSalle-Business Resource Center (BRC) was established in 1989 to assist economically-marginalized sectors of society, particularly microentrepreneurs and farmers. It seeks to improve the living condition of the people and strengthen its spiritual core. With only six employees, BRC successfully thrives on providing capital assistance for expansion or diversification of existing businesses, entrepreneurial development, community resource management, and non-formal education. It also expands coverage to include out-of-school youth.
For further livelihood exemplary assistance, The Negros Kabisig Livelihood Foundation (NKLF) continues to increase the production level of palay of farmer members by 10-20% of their present yield. Since its establishment in 1990, they have provided efficient and effective credit facilities at lower interest rates and assisted agri-based communities in fund sourcing for livelihood projects. Their main services include rice production loans that has reached P95.1 million since 1991, integrated post-harvest facility, seed farm, etc. NKLF is one of 12 organizations recognized by the Benigno Aquino Foundation in 2003 as “People Power People” that serves as a source of hope for development of the people and love for the country.
The Most Inspiring Bacolod Entrepreneur award is given by the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship (PCE) as part of the Go Negosyo sa Bacolod, part of PCE's the Go Negosyo Caravan which aims to bring Go Negosyo forums and expositions in key cities outside Metro Manila.
Go Negosyo sa Bacolod is supported by the Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Bacolod City Economic and Business Council President Bobby Montelibano, and Chairman Bro. Rolly Dizon. Also in cooperation with the Philippine Airlines, PAGCOR, Globe, Hyundai, PLDT, Smart, Islands Souvenirs, DTI-OTOP and RFM Corporation and University of St. La Salle, SM Supermalls and the Cebu City Marriot Hotel, The Philippine Star, The Philippine Daily Inquirer, The Manila Bulletin, GMA Network Inc., RPN9, NBN4, Aspac-Law, Ideal Minds Corporation, and Full Circle Communications as event partners.
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Sailing through life’s destinations
Excellence does not curb in one-way streets for stopovers but thrives in the many twists and turns until there is no point in moving on.
 For Olivia Villaflores-Yanson, it was hard work, honest labor and business acumen that successfully steered their family-owned transport into her own unique joyride to the heart of the Bacolod powerhouse business sector.
Thriving in land-based transportation business, the Yanson family engaged in bus body assembly and engineering to serve the commuting public from all walks of life. They established Vallacar Transit, Inc. in 1968 and the Rural Transit Mindanao, Inc. and Bachelor Xpress, Inc. in 1985 that have grown from a lone 14-seater jeepney trekking a single route into more than 1500 transport bus units operating nearly 80% of the bus routes in the Central and Southern regions. The Yanson Group of Companies also pioneered the roll-on, roll-off boat services between Negros-Cebu, Mindanao-Leyte and Panay-Luzon.
“With our safe, comfortable and dependable buses, we are able to ensure that people and goods reach their destinations, anywhere in the archipelago,” Olivia shared.
Through Olivia’s leadership, the company has also fostered its integrated system of support infrastructure to compliment the backbone of hassle-free operations. She ventured into bus parts fabrication, manufacturing of brake drums and brake-linings, production of bus batteries, tire-recapping, and creating its own bus body design, engineering and assembly.
The Yanson Group of Companies control various operations in Manila-Batangas-Mindoro-Panay for its roll on, roll off services, Bacolod, Cebu, Dumaguete, Iloilo, Bulua, Butuan, Davao, Yacapin and Pagadian.
Olivia Villaflores-Yanson is also recognized for her outstanding achievements in Social Entrepreneurship as she provides scholarships to poor but deserving students and employs them afterwards, and supports and conducts medical miss ions without fanfare and publicity. She also provides employment for thousands of men and women in the Visayas-Mindanao area. The Yanson Group of Companies actually has a 6,300-workforce that made them a premier transport player in the country.
“All of these (endeavors) are geared towards one goal: to serve the Filipino people with passion,” Yanson said.
For her remarkable contribution in the land transportation industry in the Philippines that also spearheaded the business growth in Bacolod, Olivia Villaflores-Yanson will be one of the Most Inspiring Bacolod Entrepreneurs to be awarded by President Gloria-Macapagal Arroyo and Presidential Consultant for Entrepreneurship Jose Concepcion III on July 13-14, 2007 at the University of St. La Salle Coliseum.
The citation is given by the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship (PCE) as part of the Go Negosyo sa Bacolod, part of PCE's the Go Negosyo Caravan which aims to bring Go Negosyo forums and expositions in key cities outside Metro Manila.
Go Negosyo sa Bacolod is in cooperation with the Philippine Airlines, PAGCOR, Globe, Hyundai, PLDT, Smart, Islands Souvenirs, DTI-OTOP and RFM Corporation. Other event partners include University of St. La Salle, SM Supermalls and the Cebu City Marriot Hotel, The Philippine Star, The Philippine Daily Inquirer, The Manila Bulletin, GMA Network Inc., RPN9, NBN4, Aspac-Law, Ideal Minds Corporation, and Full Circle Communications.
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Undaunted emblems of pride: the DPOTMH and Lopue Department Stores story
What do hospitals and department stores have in common? Is it the readiness to serve the clientele's varying demands? Is it having most of what one will need in just one quick stop? Or is it the promptness of its staff to serve its patrons? Unwittingly, it could be any of the above. In Bacolod, however, both have become a source of pride and joy not only to its founding families but to all Negrenses as a whole.
 Dr. Pablo O. Torre Memorial, a hospital situated at the heart of Bacolod, ceases to be just the region's premier hospital. With facilities that can definitely compete with Metro Manila hospitals, DPOTMH is now considered a top rate medical institution.
Known for breaking grounds in the field of health service, Dr. Pablo O. Torre Memorial Hospital takes great pride for being the first hospital outside Metro Manila to use the Bio Z cardiac monitor, a NASA developed machine that measures the mechanical function of the heart.
The hospital also boasts of being the first medical institution in the country to use the Pneumatic-tube system which both alleviates and augments the speed of transfer of laboratory specimens and medicines to the different area of the hospital. Only the most advance hospitals in the USA use this kind of method.
All these were made possible because of the remarkable leadership of Joaquin Torre, the hospital’s very able president.
At another part of the city, a chain of department stores owned by the Lopue family proudly lines the province.
Starting out as a sari-sari store during the Japanese Regime, the company slowly but surely climbed to the top until it has become the retail cluster giant that it is known today.
 Catalyzed by the determination of its founder, Ben Lopue Sr., fondly called “Big Boss” by his employees, the company slowly eased its way to profitability, spawning branches and constructing warehouses to support the retail stores’ needs. Being a visionary and enterprising man, Lopue saw an economic growth opportunity in the area.
Years later, more and more branches add up to the chain.
Today, there are ten Lopue’s branches scattered across Negros. In the coming years, Negrenses may see more stores opening in the area such as Lopue’s Silay, the latest addition to the chain of Lopue’s stores which will commence operations within the year 2007. Moving forward towards progress, Lopue’s Department Stores shall always stay true on its thrust of bringing the market to the people.
For their remarkable contributions in spearheading the business growth in Bacolod, vis-à-vis providing means of livelihood to their kababayans, Benjamin Kho Lopue Sr. and Joaquin Torre will be among the Most Inspiring Bacolod Entrepreneurs to be awarded by President Gloria-Macapagal Arroyo and Presidential Consultant for Entrepreneurship Jose Concepcion III on July 13-14, 2007 at the University of St. La Salle Coliseum.
The citation is given by the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship (PCE) as part of the Go Negosyo sa Bacolod, part of PCE's the Go Negosyo Caravan which aims to bring Go Negosyo forums and expositions in key cities outside Metro Manila.
Go Negosyo sa Bacolod is in cooperation with the Philippine Airlines, PAGCOR, Globe, Hyundai, PLDT, Smart, Islands Souvenirs, DTI-OTOP and RFM Corporation. Other event partners include University of St. La Salle, SM Supermalls and the Cebu City Marriot Hotel, The Philippine Star, The Philippine Daily Inquirer, The Manila Bulletin, GMA Network Inc., RPN9, NBN4, Aspac-Law, Ideal Minds Corporation, and Full Circle Communications.
Go Negosyo sa Bacolod is supported by the Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Bacolod City Economic and Business Council through the representation of Bobby Montelibano (President) and Bro. Rolly Dizon (Chairman), respectively.
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