Unlad Kabuhayan Summit 2012: A Social Entrepreneurship Program

Participants waiting for the opening of Unlad Kabuhayan Summit 2012 

THOUSANDS of people witnessed the recent opening ceremony of UNLAD KABUHAYAN SUMMIT 2012 (UKS) which was held at the World Trade Center, Pasay City. Around 500 exhibitors and sponsors supported the event for a cause where proceeds will seed the scholarship of the upcoming trainers to make this program sustainable.

Unlad Kabuhayan Summit 2012 crowd during the opening on August 26, 2012

“Kaya Natin‘To!” Or shout with energy: “Yes, we can (fight poverty)! Yes, we can be entrepreneurs!  Yes we can be achievers and successful! Yes we can!”  These are the words inside the heart and mind of the budding and would-be entrepreneurs in this event as this fulfilled their dreams to be part in this big event for free.  

Pay It Forward System 
 

Gigi Anne Lapira, UKS2012's officer-in-charge during the Opening Ceremony

UKS officer-in-charge and businesswoman Gigi Anne Lapira said, “Total of 240 trainers graduated from the recent training programs held in different areas in five districts of Metro Manila (Central, North, South, East and West) and nearby provinces like Laguna, Cavite, Rizal, Bulacan North and South, which when we started then we had 40 trainers only.”

Video: Lapira during the Opening Ceremony

A social entrepreneurship in its nature and an event-for-a-cause, Lapira said in an interview: “It is the biggest social entrepreneurship event not just the biggest livelihood event considering this is our first time event.”

“For our big time exhibitors, it is just secondary to promote their products. For our entrepreneurs, social relevance is higher than the market relevance. Most of the exhibitors are already made and have money; they have joined because of the purpose and relevance of the program.”

JM Cruz posed at the BUSKWELA, courtesy of AREZA Group of Companies & ICSM to be used in regional trainings.

“The proceeds will go to the scholarship of our trainers to sustain the program. It will go to Buskwela. We will have more trainers and therefore more entrepreneurs in our country.”

She continued that this goes beyond the commercial side of the trade exposition of being commercial in nature. It goes beyond the commercial aspect. By trying to help others, she said, this becomes an individual social entrepreneurship and corporate social responsibility (if they are corporation).

With this advocacy, she said: “More people have joined together and more alliances are coming to link with us forming a bandwagon of success in entrepreneurship, like the name of Joey Concepcion from Go Negosyo and the Secretary Joel Villanueva for TESDA accreditation.”

    UNLAD Kabuhayan Summit 2012 Ribbon Cutting Ceremony with guests and participants.

She added: “We would like to create a difference to the less fortunate individuals and to the scholars.” With this initiative according to her, more people would like to help, would like to share their expertise, to share and become mentors of this program.

Mayor Calixto supports livelihood program in Pasay 
 

Mayor Antonino G. Calixto during Opening Ceremony of 'Unlad Kabuhayan Summit 2012

The Pasay City Mayor Antonino G. Calixto graced the event and congratulated the whole team in making this happen in Pasay City. He dared “Unlad Kabuhayan” for creating more opportunities for business, private, government, media as well as the government sector to come together and synergize to the potent force that will help propel as a little further into economic growth. 
 
He said that livelihood is a pillar of economic development and it contributed 13% of P9.7 B gross domestic product last year. He was glad to say: “It’s more fun in the Philippines, but fun begins in Pasay!"

On Social Entrepreneurship

In essence, social entrepreneurship as defined in Wikipedia as: “Social entrepreneurship is the recognition of a social problem and the uses of entrepreneurial principles to organise, create and manage a social venture to achieve a desired social change.”

This entrepreneurship event is in partnership with the Eagle Broadcasting Corporation (NET25, Pinas FM 95.5 and DZEC 1062 KHz) and in collaboration with New Era University and TESDA.
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Some photos are courtesy of:

UNLAD Kabuhayan Fanpage

Related Articles/ Links:

BPO ELITE joins Unlad Kabuhayan Summit 2012 

EVENT ADVISORY: New Schedule of Unlad Kabuhayan Summit 2012

Livelihood Event: 'Unlad Kabuhayan' Summit 2012

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