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Department of Agrarian Reform Inks MOA with Go Negosyo Agri Group
December 4, 2025
Empowered People Make for a Prosperous Country
December 8, 2025
The corruption scandal still weighed heavily on my mind last Saturday. It was no ordinary Saturday as it was the day of Go Negosyo’s BalikBayan Summit 2025, where we celebrate our overseas Filipinos and help them and their families become successful entrepreneurs here in the Philippines.
With the scale of the corruption running into the billions and the thieves unmasked as government officials, it was understandable how some of our overseas Pinoys would be hesitant to trust the system back home. We now have to work even harder to earn back their trust because, frankly, what these hardworking Pinoys had to go through to make a decent living in a foreign land makes the corruption scandal even more loathsome. Especially when you hear the stories of the ones who came home and built successful businesses in the country.
We highlight their stories through our Inspiring BalikBayan Awards in the hope of encouraging more of our overseas kababayans to explore entrepreneurship. This year’s winners – Mark Anthony Angeles, Melvin Awid, Azenith Chimlangco Castalone, Jay Gibson Eronico, Rambie Go, Richard R. Gomez, Rojerette May Martin-Pimentel, Grace Valencia and Rey Aldwin Valeriano – demonstrate the Pinoy’s dogged determination to overcome hardship. Many of them began their entrepreneurship journey during the pandemic. Most of them had lost their overseas jobs when the lockdowns hit, with some left with practically nothing. Yet they turned things around and, using the skills and insights they learned from their time abroad, built successful businesses.
And even when they had little to share, some of them opted to put up social enterprises – businesses that benefited communities and employed the marginalized. It seems that the most generous among us are the ones who have the least. They went through tremendous hardship and thus can empathize with the suffering of others.
They also have insight. One of this year’s awardees – a former seaman – saw how the global market is saturated with synthetic vanilla, and thus focused on growing authentic vanilla in his native Mindanao. Many of our past winners understood how the everyday food we Pinoys often take for granted – like bagoong, bangus, tuyo – have a large market among our homesick countrymen, and built successful businesses by innovating food preservation and packaging techniques. And just to prove that these OFWs-turned-entrepreneurs can go beyond the traditional cottage-industry businesses, some of our past winners capitalized on their human resource management skills and their mastery of tech-based services to come up with high-concept enterprises.
These successful overseas Pinoys are an example of what could be, once systems are in place to help them reach their full potential. When they are focused on what they do best, when they spend less time negotiating the roadblocks and jumping through hoops just trying to get their businesses up and running, they can succeed.
This is true even of Filipino professionals. When they have supportive systems, access to tools, opportunities for advancement and chances to upskill themselves, they become the best in their professions. Why do you think our health care workers, engineers, teachers and professional managers are so highly regarded in their adoptive countries?
I focus on human capital as this will clearly be a top priority in ASEAN 2026, when the Philippines will take the lead in the regional gathering. That Artificial Intelligence (AI) is also on top of the agenda speaks directly about how a digitally empowered and skilled workforce is going to be important in navigating the drastic changes in the new economy.
AI is not the enemy. It can be, but the potential to do good is such that we have to adequately prepare for it. For example, Filipino MSMEs have encountered barriers when attempting to enter regional markets. Complex customs procedures, regulatory red tape, limited access to digital tools and challenges in scaling have hindered their progress.
Imagine for a moment the potential of AI to streamline customs and logistics across ASEAN borders, dramatically reducing the time and cost for our small exporters and importers. Imagine how it could be used to expedite government processes. It would give our MSMEs market access and business efficiency on an unprecedented scale.
By promoting accessible digital tools and platforms, we empower small businesses to compete effectively in a global marketplace. Online marketplaces, digital marketing opportunities and cloud-based operations become more attainable, leveling the playing field for enterprises that have historically struggled to gain traction. AI can give valuable insights into customer behavior and trends, enabling MSMEs to optimize operations, develop new products and refine their services.
One of our award-winning Filipina entrepreneurs recently shared how she was forced to manufacture in China because she discovered that building her factory in the Philippines was a long process, with plenty of red tape in the way. And although her primary ingredient was sourced from home, the process of manufacturing her envisioned product was simply faster in another country. What would take months in the Philippines was mere weeks in another country. Such speed and efficiency are necessary for companies to react swiftly to market changes and scale to compete internationally. She turned out to be right. Her product became wildly successful and she is now able to develop new products. Nevertheless, she believes that the Filipino is not lacking in talent or determination.
Prosperity is hollow without an empowered people. No doubt upskilling will be crucial in the growth of MSMEs and the broader economy. Enhanced education and digital skills training for the workforce will address talent shortages. Moreover, a tech-savvy workforce can drive small businesses forward, cultivating the next generation of entrepreneurs who can contribute fresh perspectives and energy.
My wish is that we will have more Inspiring BalikBayan awardees in the future. Their stories affirm my hope for a prosperous Philippines.
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