A summit on Social Entrepreneurship

In its midterm audit of the two-year Social Enterprises Development (SED) project of the Mariners Polytechnic Colleges Foundation, Canaman, Camarines Sur, the Commission on Higher Education  (CHEd) Central Office GIA auditors praised the significant progress made. The project has achieved remarkable outcomes, including the development of seven types of research, the transformation of community organizations of disaster survivors into social enterprises, and the enhancement of productivity and product innovation from skills training and start-up businesses by and for disaster survivors in Camarines Sur and Albay. These achievements, along with the forging of agreements for collaboration with local government units, national government agencies, and higher educational institutions, have set a promising trajectory for the socio-economic development of Bicol.

Community leaders turned entrepreneurs who sat in during the audit quietly smiled and clapped gleefully, their faces hidden behind the computer screen. The audit was virtual by Zoom. Everyone, including the project staff and the leaders, wished the auditors had visited Bicol for a physical visit; that would have been more fun and enlightening. They would witness the difficulties of community organizations and emerging social enterprises navigating true-to-life social dynamics among leaders and members, battling old social values, traditions, feudal beliefs, and practices but surmounting them. How this has changed is becoming visible in the quality of a growing number of leaders who now can look beyond the now or the present. With the project, they are learning to think strategically, long-term, and innovatively as organizations and enterprises with a social character and mission. Continuing the gains and momentum is a big challenge.  The experiences of the social enterprises organized and developed with the SED project, the men and women - young and old alike- of the Ilaw ng Kababaihan, the People’s Organization of Disaster Survivors (PODiS) and the Bugkos Kabataan in various parts of the project communities provide inspiring lessons of transformation.

The Bicol Regional Development Council gave due recognition to the project in its Resolution No. 4-63, s.2023, dated December 27, that “will help achieve the Philippine Development Plan and the Regional Development Plan 2023-2028 to enhance the adaptive capacity and resilience of communities and ecosystems to natural hazards and climate change. With more than a quarter of our population who lives below the poverty line not able to finish high school and cope with the growing social stressors, a more sustainable approach to address continuing learning towards change is compelling.  We have a robust entrepreneurial culture with over a million micro, small, and medium (MSMEs) growing.  MSMEs are growing and account for 99% of all businesses in the country. There are more than a hundred thousand social enterprises, according to estimates, that constitute 17% of the 987,974 registered companies (2022).  Of these, 70% operate as MSMEs, 23% as nongovernment organizations, and 6% as cooperatives. If the figures are correct, much must be done to enable social enterprises to grow and develop, especially among the poor and marginalized sectors.   

The academe

The role of the academe in promoting social entrepreneurship as a poverty reduction strategy is not just crucial; it’s inspiring. The tools, facilities, resources, and nurturing mindset provided by the academe are the backbone of this project’s success. Their commitment to fostering innovative and strategic thinking among the project’s participants gives hope for a future where social entrepreneurship is a powerful tool for poverty reduction. Given the proper government support, social enterprises have the potential to contribute significantly to inclusive economic development. Through cooperatives, foundations, community and agricultural associations, and microfinance institutions, they can play a crucial role in poverty alleviation and achieving sustainable development goals.

In today’s meeting of scholars from the Mariners, NCF (Naga College Foundation), BiSCAST (Bicol State College of Applied Sciences and Technology), the CBSUA (Central Bicol State University in Agriculture), and Bicol University, the leaders agreed to come together to support the Mariners CHEd SED plan and spearhead a Regional Summit on social enterprises in October. The Summit, a platform for promoting innovation and knowledge sharing in entrepreneurship, will draw lessons and insights from the project on social enterprises of poor disaster survivors - especially among women, youth, and farmers. It will provide a platform to promote innovation, knowledge sharing in entrepreneurship, and collaboration within and among different sectors, contributing to the overall growth, sustainability, and resilience of poor and rural communities.

The Summit will feature exhibits and trade fairs of social enterprises, including products, technologies, and practices of farmers, fisherfolks, women, IP, and rural youth. With the mainstream business sector, the Summit can provide market access for social entrepreneurs to a larger audience, including potential buyers, distributors, and retailers. It will showcase the diversity of social enterprises, promote the exchange of ideas, and foster a better understanding of regional challenges and solutions. The marginalized IPs in Bicol stand to gain from this platform.

The Summit is a crucial opportunity to advocate for policies that support sustainable social enterprises for rural development and the overall well-being of the communities. A compelling concern is the passage of a law on social enterprises as a poverty reduction strategy to provide food security, uplift rural economies, and address global challenges. Most of all, as educators for lifelong learning, I believe that the CHEd SED project deserves continuity to serve as a sustainable platform that is accessible and in the service of all.