Mindanawons urged to join EY entrepreneur awards

The program manager of the SGV Foundation’s Ernst & Young (EY) Entrepreneur of the Year Awards, encouraged entrepreneurs from Mindanao to join the 2015 edition of the search.
“I think this is a good year for Mindanawons,” Maria L. Balmaceda said in a press briefing for the launching of the EY Entrepreneur of the Year at the SGV office at the Damosa IT Park last Thursday.
Balmaceda said entrepreneurs in Mindanao are “very interesting” because of the island region’s nature and diversity.
She said businesses here seem to be innovative and competitive because of its proximity to the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) market.
“The organizer of this search expects that we’ll be receiving a good number of qualified nominations from Mindanao,” she said.
Balmaceda also said the EY receives at least 50 nominations from all over the country.
Among previous nominees from Mindanao were Federation of Banana based Cooperative of Davao (Fedco) CEO Ireneo S Dalayon and Sagrex Corporation and Philippine Exporters Confederation-Davao chapter president Ferdinand Marañon.
Marañon won the Emerging Entrepreneur award in 2011.
Other previous finalists and winners from Mindanao were 2003 finalist Mommy Gina Tuna Resources proprietor Joaquin Lu; 2004 Agribusiness entrepreneur RD Corporation president and CEO Rodrigo Rivera Sr.; and Master Entrepreneur and Entrepreneur of the year La Frutera Inc. president and chairman Senen Bacani.
For this year, Balmaceda said nominees will be competing for four categories, namely master entrepreneur, small business entrepreneur, woman entrepreneur, and young entrepreneur.
“The Entrepreneur of the Year will be chosen from the category winners. He or she will represent the country in the World Entrepreneur of the Year Awards in June 2016 in Monte Carlo,” she said.
She said the award allows driven entrepreneurs to expand their markets and to have easier access to financing.
The Entrepreneur of the Year was launched by Ernst & Young in 1986 and has expanded to more than 145 cities in more than 60 countries. Cheneen R. Capon