In our recent thanksgiving gathering, I was glad to meet the new leadership in the British Embassy. The new Ambassador-designate AsifAhmad and Deputy Head of Mission Trevor Lewis joined the hundreds of entrepreneur advocates that night who showed support in building a culture of entrepreneurship in the country. The British Embassy has been pretty active in preparing for the forthcoming Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) in the third week of November that aims to strengthen the awareness on entrepreneurship by creating and collaborating with several groups the various activities on entrepreneurship. We are happy to have been designated as their official Philippine partner to muster all these activities leading into the GEW.

This is a clear manifestation that different nations can unite to make one mission achievable – spread the entrepreneurial mindset across the world. Since 2007, GEW is well known as the world’s largest celebration of innovators and job creators that launch start-ups that bring ideas to life, drive economic growth and expand human welfare.

We sealed the partnership with the British Embassy in a simple ceremony that allowed us to discuss as well the planned program of activities that we can link up for the GEW. Off-hand, together with other Go Negosyo partners, we have lined up around 15 GEW branded events that will eventually reach out to thousands of participants.

True to the Go Negosyo thrust of building a Negosyo mindset and offering new opportunities, we have already finished three activities since Aug. 29. Youth Entrepreneurship Summit (YES) Visayas, and two runs of Go Negosyo – Asean Foundation-Microsoft ICT Training for Filipino Entrepreneurs, and we have lined up the following activities in the weeks ahead: The Bicol Tourism and Food Expo: Go Negosyo, Asenso sa Negosyo on Sept. 19. October will have the AFFI Trade Show by the 4th – 6th, MBA Franchising on the 10th, Enderun College Networking Night on the 19th and NEGOSEM Basics on the 25th. In November, the Go Negosyo 1st Philippine Creativity – Youth Entrepreneurship Summit on the 19th, the Blogapalooza on the 16th, the PLDT Bossing Night, the 3rd OFW & Family Entrepreneurship Summit in partnership with the Villar Foundation on the 22nd and the DTI – Quezon Negosyo Seminar on the last few days of the same month.

There will be an official launch of the GEW Philippines by October, and by then, we would have included other activities that will take place to help push entrepreneurship further. We are also doing this in partnership with the British Council in the Philippines, led by Nick Thomas and Ana Tan, and the Young Entrepreneurship Society led by Henry Ong. We are also bringing Mr Philip Tulba, a noted British entrepreneur and consultant with vast experience in establishing social enterprises in UK. Since the GEW proper would be from Nov. 18 – 24, by the 3rd Global Entrepreneurship Week (2015), GEW becomes self sustaining and an established part of the Philippines business calendar with at least 50 events during the week.

As we speak of the joint project with the British embassy, we are now in London as RFM Corporation is part of a Deutsche conference where 17 Philippine companies are meeting equity investors. A number of foreign funds are still very bullish about the Philippines despite the recent developments. Values of many stocks have reached low levels with the recent correction in the market.

UK believes that entrepreneurship is a great equalizer. An example of which is the entrepreneurship journey of Dylan Wilk, who was sponsored by the Prince’s Trust of Prince Charles’ Foundation which allowed him to grow his business in UK. He later sold the business for a good price when he decided to pursue a more meaningful life in the Philippines to help Gawad Kalinga and later marry the daughter of the founder, Tony Meloto. Of course, it was not a package deal.

Relatively, we are happy also to renew our partnership with GK when we met recently with Tony Meloto and team. A Ramon Magsaysay awardee and recipient of many recognitions, he always inspires us with his programs and vision for our country. Glad to know that he has been focusing his efforts now on social entrepreneurship, after building hundreds of GK communities around the country, and even exporting this model abroad. Our family and RFM have been their early partners in building communities near our manufacturing plants. Tony would always tell us that the GK has special affiliations with the Go Negosyo ever since we both started our respective advocacies. I also remember we had several joint programs in the past as we conducted a number of Go Negosyo summits and seminars in their GK communities, like the one in 2007 when we did an Agri-Negosyo Summit with GK communities.

His family has also become inspiring Go Negosyo entrepreneurs like daughters Anna and Camille, and son-in-law, Dylan who have been perfect role models in building a very successful social enterprise, Human Nature (Gandang Kalikasan). They have been very supportive in joining our forums, spreading the good news on social entrepreneurship models that others can also replicate.

In fact many of these social entrepreneurship models will be presented in their forthcoming Social Business Summit 2013 to be held at the GK Enchanted Farm in Angat, Bulacan this October 2 – 5. It would be one of the biggest events in the Philippine history as they gather thousands of social entrepreneurs, aspiring ones, government and private corporation partners and enablers. We were informed that President Noynoy Aquino and Vice President Jejomar Binay will be coming, and I will be joining Senator Bam and other guest speakers in the morning opening sessions. I am sure it would be an uplifting Summit to all so we invite everyone to be there.

The Enchanted Farm is the canvas for Gawad Kalinga’s second phase of the 2024 road map to end poverty in the Philippines. It is considered as the Silicon Valley of social entrepreneurship.

It has been the hub of the social businesses like Agricool, Bayani Brew, Blue Bamboo Ventures, Circle Hostel, Cream of the Crop, Enchanted Farm Cafe, Enchanted Water, Golden Egg, Gourmet Keso, Grassroots Kitchen, Hamlet, Human Nature, Plush and Play, Red Carpet, Route +63, Theo & Philo and Trese. Moreover, it has opened its door to almost 500 foreign interns yearly to promote how the country fights poverty through bright ideas in social businesses.

We support Tony and his team in their mission of building businesses that do not leave the poor behind, bring inclusive growth and shape a kinder world.