Go Negosyo: Youth Entrepreneurship Summit 2009
This ain’t a form of online election rally alright (although many government officials participated), this post tackles about a recent one-day event that aimed to spark entrepreneurial mindset among the youth.
I arrived at the venue at around 11 in the morning wearing my “wet look” at “mahangin ba sa labas” hairstyle (thanks to the heavy rain and harsh strong wind!).When I found out about the said event (thanks to my dependable email), I really thought it was meant for yuppies like me so I was kind of confused when I saw a pile of students all lined up near the lobby, there’s sort of like a field trip going on! High school and college students, some in their plain uniforms, some in color coded tees and some in their business attires, with most of them guarded with a notebook and pen at hand. Seems like a school activity to me! 
The second forum started immediately with the topic entitled “Starting “Em Young” now with Ms. Melody Ayupan, DTI Secretary Favilla, Governor LRay Villafuerte of CamSur and Senator Chiz Escudero as speakers. 
There were plenty of exhibitors, from big time companies to medium scale businesses to those who have been selling online. It was like an ocean of opportunities welcoming those who are ready to jump in the exciting world on entrepreneurship. 
Joey Concepcion has no doubt done it again, this time tapping the entrepreneurial spirits of the youth. The GoNegosyo Youth Entrepreneurial Summit entitled “Sigaw ng Kabataan” was held at the SMX Convention Center of SM Mall of Asia last September 11, 2009. The event lasted from 8am to 6pm onwards with hundreds of students, schools, celebrities, music bands and young entreps themselves who participated.
I arrived at the venue at around 11 in the morning wearing my “wet look” at “mahangin ba sa labas” hairstyle (thanks to the heavy rain and harsh strong wind!).When I found out about the said event (thanks to my dependable email), I really thought it was meant for yuppies like me so I was kind of confused when I saw a pile of students all lined up near the lobby, there’s sort of like a field trip going on! High school and college students, some in their plain uniforms, some in color coded tees and some in their business attires, with most of them guarded with a notebook and pen at hand. Seems like a school activity to me! 
The summit was packed with inspiring forums, seminars, exhibitors, musical performances, raffles and freebies as well!
On the succeeding paragraphs I will insert some statements made by guest speakers to further appreciate the discussions. I know a lot of people can learn from them.
The forum has already started when I arrived. Hosts Karen Davilla and Paolo Bediones were now throwing questions at Senator Manny Villar, Chris Tiu, Joey Concepcion and others. First topic of the forum: Making a difference through entrepreneurship.
Here are their last words of advice…
From I don’t know who (kasi nga I’m late!): Always think positive. Don’t give up, cause at the end of the day, di kayo pababayaan ng Diyos.
Chris Tiu: Don’t be afraid to fail. Not starting is a failure already, just take the initiative and do it!
Manny Villar: Wag na wag matakot magsarili, burahin ang maling akala. Masarap magnegosyo…di kailangan ng matalino, unlike school subjects di kailangan ang algebra, physics at chemistry, arithmetic lang! Kapag nabigo, bumangon!
Joey Concepcion: Poverty is not an option! The only solution to poverty in this country is hard work. Always maintain the optimism and passion, identify what you love to do in life and be the best at it!
The second forum started immediately with the topic entitled “Starting “Em Young” now with Ms. Melody Ayupan, DTI Secretary Favilla, Governor LRay Villafuerte of CamSur and Senator Chiz Escudero as speakers. 
I’ve met Gov. LRay during our last taping for Star Magic at the CWC Sports Complex in CamSur. And I could attest to the success of the booming tourism industry of the said province. Sports enthusiasts, natives from foreign countries and celebrities have been their frequent guests. I wowed at how they have creatively showcased Filipino arts and architecture in their lodging but most especially the famous wakeboarding sport is really something new to try!
So wonder how this small and then poor province became a big time tourist destination? Let’s find out from Gov. himself.
LRay: Before I became a governor, negosyante na ako .I started doing business when I was 17 years old in La Salle selling UAAP shirts then after I graduated I got into export business with P50,000 capital. In fact it’s very easy to do research now with minimal capital because of the internet with social networking like facebook, multiply, friendster, youtube unlike before. Going back to Camsur, what inspired me to start is yung nafufrustrate ako, governor ako, when I invite people to go to camsur they’ll say wala naman magawa diyan e so I thought to promote sports tourism. I found out based on the internet that the fastest watersports in the world is wakeboarding so sinugal ko, we made a waterpark, net effect after 3 years we became the no. 1 tourist destination in the country!
True enough CamSur’s beloved governor surely knows how to market the province.
from Senator Chiz...
Chiz Escudero: Malaki ang papel na ginagampanan ng pribadong sector sa pag-unlad ng isang bansa. Halimbawa, di kayang bigyan ng gobyerno bigyan ng trabaho ang bawat Pilipino pero kaya yang ibigay ng mga pribadong negosyante. Para di na kailangang mangibang bansa pa ng mga Pilipino, dito na sila magkaroon ng oportunidad. Pero sana palakihin natin ang ating mga kabataan hindi lamang para maging empleyado ng mga kumpanya kundi para magmay-ari ng sarili nilang mga kumpanya. At sa mga kabataang naririto nais kong ipabatid at sabihin, hindi kapansanan ang pagiging bata, kinilala yan sa forum na ito ngayong umaga, hindi naiiba ang mas bata sa mga nakakatanda. Para sakin wag nating maliitin ang kakayanan ng mga matatanda pero wag ding maliitin ng matatanda ang kakayanan nating mga bata sa larangan man ng serbisyong publiko lalong lalo na sa pagnenegosyo.
Karen: Senator gusto ko ang sinabi mong wag maliitin ang kakayanan ng mga bata, ano pa ba sa palagay mo ang magagawa mo dahil bata ka?
Chiz: Lahat ng kayang gawin ng mas matanda, kayang gawin ng bata. Alam kong sinulat ng ating pambansang bayani na ang kabataan ang pag-asa ng bayan. Hindi ako sang-ayon dun, dahil pag sinabi mong pag-asa ibig sabihin darating pa lang ang panahon natin. Di totoo yun, para sakin tayong mga kabataan di lang pag-asa ng bayan, tayong lahat, bata man o matanda, dapat maasahan na ng bayan. Para sakin , tayong lahat bata man o matanda dapat maasahan na ng bayan, hindi pagtanda ninyo, hindi pag-graduate o pagyaman ninyo. Mas marami na tayo ngayon kesa sa kanila!
During the break students went wild with the performances from Bloomfields, FEU Pep Squad and Letran Pep Squad who were the firsts to hit the stage.
The third forum was entitled "Why Not be Great".Senator Francis Pangilinan and Francis Kong were among the guests. Can't tell much since I was still busy munching lunch then, solo flight...
The fourth forum entitled "Unleash the Entrepreneur in You" was hosted by these wacky duo , ang tambalang balahura at balasubas ng love radio, Nicolehiyala and Cris Tsuper!
Dean Pax Lapid, Maoi Arroyo, Agriculture Sec. Arthur Yap and Joy Abaquin of Multiple Intelligence graced the discussion.
Here's an excerpt from the forum...
Dean Pax: Sikap at Gawa…dun nag-uumpisa ang negosyo, perseverance and action. Big dreams need big positive effort and action. Every Filipino Can!
Yap: Medicinal plants, di pa natin pinag-aaralan yan. Yung ginagawa sa sambong, sa pito-pito sa pinatuyong ampalaya at ginagawang tsaa, ito ang kinabukasan ng agrikultura. Ang advocacy ng Department of Agriculture ngayon is as much as possible in all over the country namimili kami ng mga produktong pwedeng ilaban internation mga processed agricultural products. Inaanyayahan ko po kayong lahat na pumunta sa QC, may convenient store dun, lahat ng Philippine agriculture processed products na kinakain, ginagamit sa wellness, aromatherapy, accessories nandun sa convenient store na yun. Hindi nila ako maintindihan nung binuksan ko yun one year ago pero sa awa ng Diyos yung nag-iisang convenient store na yun is selling P500,00 every month at may mga exporters na dumarating at namimili na sila doon.
Yap: Kung puro emosyonal at romantic ang tingin sa agriculture at hindi negosyo, tuloy tuloy po ang lugi ng ating mga magsasaka. What do you have to do? Kailangan ka bang bumalik sa sakahan? Ang lagi kong sinasabi sa mga kabataan at mga negosyante buksan niyo ang isipan niyo. You travel the world, tingnan niyo kung anong binibenta ng Vietnam at Thailand…kayong mga kabataan very imaginative kayo. Anong mga food products ang pwede niyong gawin o napupusuan niyong ibenta. come to us we will help you develop this products. Open your mind kung anong pwede niyong iprocess at ivalue at ibenta. We can give you the producers, we can give you a start up fund. Sa budget ng Dept. of Agriculture ngayon humingi ako ng P50 million at ang ginagawa naming dito lahat ng Agricultural college…magpapacontest kami Agri-business ang mananalo bibigyan naming ng start up funds from 100-250T.
Another exciting performance from Ms. Regine Tolentino
Regarding her own business, here’s what she has to say…
Regine: Nung buntis pa lang ako with my first baby wala akong mahanap na magagandang baby dress na girl na girl since gusto ko yung parang manyika, I decided since may training naman ako sa fashion design and I studied pattern making and sowing I started making designs for my child. So from there after I gave birth hindi nagkasya yung mga damit na ginawa ko kasi yung baby ko almost 9 lbs. So yung mga designs kong yan I ended up presenting to Rustans and they ordered, that’s how everything started.
The fifth forum entitled “In the Entrepreneur’s Shoes” this time hosted by Gladys Reyes. Invited guests includes famous daughter-mother tandem from Belo Medical Group Dra. Vicky Belo and Cristabelle Henares, Ronald Pineda of Folded and Hung, Model-beauty queen Abbygale Arenas-de leon, Blogger Carlo Ople, Jay Aldeguer and Chris Tan.
Ronald: Career ko dentista ako, sabi ko ayoko naman na nagcclinic ako tapos from 9-6pm nasa opisina lang ako. Why don’t I do something na gustong gusto ko talaga, since mahilig ako magtravel, magshopping, so sabi ko sa sarili ko gagawin ko na yung gusto kong gawin which is I love clothes so yung mga perks naeenjoy ko ngayon, di na ko bumibili ng damit ko, it started that way. Nung estudyante pa lang ako mahilig ako sa trading so sumasama ako sa tatay ko pagpunta ng Hongkong, ng Amerika. Pag-uwi naming may baon na ko, punong puno ang maleta ko, binibenta ko sa mga classmates ko. Sabi nila “Si Ronald ayan punong puno na naman yung trunk niya gali na naman siya ng Hongkong”.
Gladys: Ano anong mga trials bago kayo nagging naging successful sa inyong ventures?
Belo: I think di ako typical na doctor medyo marami sa medical community yung na-shoshock sa mga ways ko. Ang nangyari kasi nagtraining ako sa abroad, sa Thailand at America, so medyo dinala ko dito ang marketing ways of abroad so I was the first one to bring the lasers here then of course you have to inform the public na meron ganun so kailangan lumalabas ako sa tv, interviews…e medyo madaldal ako…very intelligent pero minsan conservative, di madaldal, For tv kasi nagwowork yung ganung personality…nung lumabas ako sa tv parang wow ibang klaseng doctor to ang daldal…so talagang nag-click ako sa publiko …ang di ako masyado nag-click sa mga colleagues ko pero that was 19 years ago. Kaya medyo Masaya ako ngayon na karamihan ng doctor ngayon finafollow yung naumpisahan naming template…tv stars, movie stars, advertising, PR nagiging normal na ngayon yung dating shocking. Maraming nanghuhusga…pero nayon ok naman.
There were plenty of exhibitors, from big time companies to medium scale businesses to those who have been selling online. It was like an ocean of opportunities welcoming those who are ready to jump in the exciting world on entrepreneurship. 
So what did I learned from this event? Was it worth my struggle against the heavy rain and wind speed? Most definitely… And I have realized one thing, that without a doubt, I want to engage myself into a more serious business. I have experienced how to employ a complete stranger once...I want to have that chance again and continue to give employment to many more people and to inspire thousands to take charge of their life.
