On the Dot
By Atty. Helen J. Camarista

Search for 2005 Entrepreneur of the Year Philippines

The search is on for the 2005 Entrepreneur of the Year Philippines Award under the auspices of the SGV Foundation in partnership with the Asian Institute of Management, Bankers Association of the Philippines, Department of Trade and Industry and Philippine Business for Social Progress.

Tourism has been identified as the specific industry under the Industry Specific Entrepreneur Award category. Included in this category are hospitality and leisure, hotels and travel agencies. A specific industry to be honored as Industry Specific Entrepreneur will be chosen for a particular year. For 2005, the industry is tourism and the winners of the award shall be an individual primarily associated with the industry category. Based on recent achievements, this individual must exemplify company building at its best in the tourism industry. The other award categories are the following:

Master Entrepreneur shall be awarded to an individual who has maintained management excellence over a sustained period of time. The business must have been founded more than five years ago. If the nominee is the founder, he or she must still be active in the management of the business.

Small Business Entrepreneur shall be awarded to an individual engaged in industry and/or services whose total assets, inclusive of those arising from loans but exclusive of the land on which the particular business entity's office, plant and equipment are situated must have a value not exceeding Php100,000,000.

Socially Responsible Entrepreneur is an individual who has used his or her private sector skills and creativity to help his or her community overcome social or environmental problems. Profit businesses that have or create products and /or services with a social benefit will not be included in this category unless socially characteristics are practiced in all aspects of the enterprise. This award is not intended to recognize the largest or most visible charitable contributors, but rather to celebrate successful entrepreneurs' individual efforts to give something back to their community.

Innovation Entrepreneur shall be awarded to an individual who has innovated by creating a new product or service or someone who has applied an innovative technology, business solution or approach that resulted in improving business processes or growing the company. The nominee must be responsible for contributing to the company's financial growth. The company must have been founded at least two years ago.

The winner of the Entrepreneur of the Year Philippines will be chosen from the five award categories, will represent the country in Monte Carlo Monaco in June 2006 and get the chance to win the World Entrepreneur of the Year 2006 Award. It may be recalled that Mr. Tony Tan Caktiong of Jollibee Foods Corp. won the World Entrepreneur of the Year 2004 Award in Monte Carlo.

Interested parties are advised to contact the Department of Tourism Region VI Tel. 337-54-11 or 335-02-45 for more details and application forms.