ENACTUS, an engaging global acronym that stands for “Entrepreneurial Action for all of US” for a better world, is an international organization that brings together students, academic and business leaders who are committed to use the power of entrepreneurial action to enable progress around the world.
Enactus Philippines, a nonprofit organization, is a country member since 2002 of the Enactus Network, an international organization that operates in the United States, the United Kingdom, China, Canada, France, Japan and 30 other countries with over 1,600 member-colleges and-universities that bring together students, academic and business leaders who are committed to use the power of entrepreneurial action to enable progress around the world.
Guided by faculty advisors and business experts, participating students from the 45 colleges and universities in the Philippines annually formed teams on their campuses to create and implement community projects that empower people to improve their quality of life and standard of living and participate in the national and global competitions.
Attended by 1,177 students and 48 entrepreneurial projects, the wholesome event not only transformed lives, but also helped students develop the kind of talents and perspectives that are essential to becoming effective, values-driven leaders, Enactus Philippines Chairman and CEO Dr. Jose P. Leviste Jr. explained at this year’s annual championship competition held last Saturday at the SMX Convention Center in Mall of Asia in Pasay City.
The winner will represent the coveted Enactus World Cup in Toronto, Canada, in September.
This writer and Dr. Nerza Rebustes, deputy customs collector at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and a noted academician, joined scores of senior executives from large corporations, high-ranking government officials and distinguished representatives of embassies/consulates and chambers of commerce as final judges for this year’s 2016 Enactus Philippines Championship event.
After a strict vetting and selection process, the judges finally picked the winning team that represented the Mariano Marcos State University in Batac, Ilocos Norte, as the champion for its clean and green production of dragon fruits, mushroom and seaweeds; production of organic fertilizers from vermicomposting and production of quality shell craft, among others, in a coordinated way through research, production, inventory and quality control, and by establishing community-wide outreach activities and marketing linkages.
The team from the University of the Philippines Los Baños won the first runner-up award; the team from the Holy Trinity College of General Santos City, second; and the team from the Sultan Kudarat State University, third. Leviste explained that the annual series of national competition provided a forum for teams from the participating local colleges and universities to showcase the impact of their outreach efforts, which were evaluated by the judges.
“In addition to the community aspect of the program, our leadership and career initiatives created meaningful opportunities for cross-generational learning and exchange, as well as the placement of students and alumni with companies in search of emerging talents,” he said.
Among the teams who joined in the final championship competition were those from Adamson University; Aklan State University-Ibajay Campus; Aquinas University of Legazpi; Baliuag University ; Batangas State University-Arasof, Nasugbu Campus; Bohol Island State University; Central Luzon State University; Central Philippine University; Columban College; De La Salle University-Dasmariñas; Divine Word College of Calapan; Holy Trinity College of General Santos City; Lorma College; Lyceum Northwestern University; Lyceum of the Philippines University-Cavite; Sultan Kudarat State University-Sunas Campus; Sultan Kudarat State University-Tacurong Campus; University of Antique; University of La Salette; University of Northern Philippines; University of Luzon; University of San Carlos; University of the Philippines-Los Baños; University of the Philippines-Visayas; Mariano Marcos State University; Miriam College-Manila; Negros Oriental State University-Main Campus; Nueva Vizcaya State University; Palawan State University-Main Campus; Pangasinan State University-Bayambang Campus; Polytechnic University of the Philippines-Santa Mesa Campus; Saint Louis College of San Fernando City; Saint Mary’s University; San Beda College; Sultan Kudarat State University-Access Campus; and Sultan Kudarat State University-Isulan Campus.
Enactus Philippines is supported by EEI Corp. (red diamond sponsor), OceanaGold (Philippines) Inc. (diamond sponsor), AG&P (diamond sponsor), Unilever Philippines (platinum sponsor), Philippine Airlines (gold sponsor), Orica Inc. (silver sponsor), KPMG R.G. Manabat & Co. (institutional partner) and Quisumbing Torres Law Firm (institutional partner).
Last year the Enactus team at the University of Luzon showed the way to make the dying bukayo industry profitable. The team determined that coco-charcoal briquettes, made from coconut shells, paper and animal waste, would not only make use of available items in the community, but it would be a cheaper and more environmentally friendly alternative to wood fuel that is traditionally used. Just as beneficial, this form of fuel supplied more than half of the city’s business centers and generated a new source of income for local entrepreneurs.The team started by teaching 10 of the candy makers how to create the coco charcoal, including the process of carbonizing the raw materials to mixing, binding, drying and packaging the new product.
As a result of Project RISE, bukayo production is no longer a dying venture. Even more impressive, the newly created coco-charcoal product has saved 86,667 cubic meters of wood fuel, reduced carbon emissions and made it possible for a group of entrepreneurs, who were once wrestling with everyday necessities, to increase their incomes by 60 percent.
To reach the writer, e-mail cecilio.arillo@gmail.com.