Last week, I hosted in my home Olympic gold medalist Carlos Yulo. He was a special guest at a dinner I organized for First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos. It was a gathering of women entrepreneurs, top industry leaders and heads of business organizations to explore ideas and possibilities ahead of our hosting of the ASEAN 2026 here in the Philippines.

Of course, everyone was starstruck by the diminutive champion. He’s barely 5 feet tall, and you would never imagine someone more unlikely to win two gold medals in the men’s gymnastics event, but he did. He came from a modest background, but through hard work and the help of good people, he is now a multimillionaire and an icon in sports.

He proved that anything is possible. He was an underdog, coming from a country not traditionally known for its prowess in gymnastics and yet he came home with not just one but two golds. It was nothing short of amazing.

We were joined that night by enablers and business organizations who I believe will be instrumental in the future of our country’s MSMEs. The next two years, especially, will be important with what could be the biggest event to be hosted by President Marcos during his term: the ASEAN Summit in 2026.

The presence that evening of some of the country’s most prominent women in business drives home the point that women will play a big part in the future of our economy. More than half of MSMEs in the Philippines were founded or are run by women, and women also account for more than half of OFWs. Filipinas continue to nurture and support their families, whether they are running businesses or working in another country.

We discussed opportunities for collaboration, empowerment and how we can support each other leading up to this important event. Our last hosting of ASEAN was in 2017, during its 50th anniversary. It was a resounding success and our legacy program for a regional MSME community, the ASEAN Mentorship for Entrepreneurs Network, has already produced graduates from the different ASEAN member-states and established a network of mentors throughout the region. In two years, we hope to put two important sectors – agriculture and women entrepreneurs – front and center in our legacy project for the Philippines chairmanship.

As we prepare for and look outward to the ASEAN region, we at Go Negosyo have also been busy building entrepreneurship in the provinces. Our entrepreneurship events in the provinces have been met with so much enthusiasm. It’s really no surprise because there is so much dynamism and fresh ideas brewing outside of the National Capital Region (NCR).

Just a couple of weeks ago, we were overwhelmed by the enthusiasm of close to 2,000 senior high school students in General Santos City, where we held our Youthpreneur event for Grades 11 and 12 students in the ABM and Tech-Voc tracks. It was, by far, one of the biggest outings we’ve had for Youthpreneur, which is made possible through our partnership with the Department of Education.

Reaching out to the farthest corners is only possible with the help of established networks. The Negosyo sa Kabataan and Negosyo sa Barangay programs tap into the influence of community leadership through the barangay leaders and the Sangguniang Kabataan to influence and encourage their community units to explore entrepreneurship.

Our mall-based free entrepreneurship mentoring roadshow, 3M on Wheels, is held in cooperation with shopping malls and local business organizations such as the local chambers of commerce and industry. It is how we are able to connect with thousands of active and aspiring entrepreneurs in places like Laguna, Cebu, Cagayan de Oro, Baguio, Bataan, Pampanga, Batangas, Pangasinan, La Union and Iloilo and several cities in the NCR.

It is through the extensive network and deep knowledge of the local and national government that we make our advocacy relevant and far-reaching. This year is especially successful in this regard because of the First Lady’s LAB for All social and medical services caravan. LAB For All was instrumental in expanding Go Negosyo’s entrepreneurship outreach as beneficiaries from areas where LAB for All is conducted must undergo one-on-one mentoring with Go Negosyo before they are given capital support. Because of LAB for All’s system, Go Negosyo mentors helped MSMEs in places like Isabela, Misamis Oriental, Leyte, Sorsogon, Zamboanga and Sultan Kudarat.

LAB for All has even paved the way for our Go Negosyo mentors to provide mentorship for the beneficiaries of the DSWD’s Sustainable Livelihood Program, which consists of entrepreneurs from poor, vulnerable and marginalized households and communities.

Truly, it has amplified our efforts a thousandfold. Much like how all the good people behind Carlos Yulo took what already was a talented young boy and molded him into the champion that he is. His underdog story should inspire us, that we, too, as a nation can win a gold medal in bringing prosperity to the country.

Originally Published in Philippine Star