SAGE Philippines reap awards at World Cup
August 14th, 2009Brasilia, Brazil — It was a long journey, from besting other teams in the national competition, raising funds to the actual plane ride, but all the sacrifices did not remain unrewarded. The team from Sultan Kudarat Polytechnic State College (SKPSC) Science Laboratory High School traveled to the Students for the Advancement of Global Entrepreneurship (SAGE) World Cup 2009 in Brasilia and garnered five (5) Special Awards.
The SAGE World Cup 2009 is an annual international business competition for high school students from different countries around the globe. This year’s host is SAGE Brazil. The competition ran from August 9 to 12, 2009.
Johanna Lyn Malicad and Kent Rey Murillo are fourth year students at the SKPSC High School who traveled all the way to Brasilia under the guidance of their Advisor, Engr. Rodolfo Solomon. They were supposed to be accompanied by two other students, John Rei Dela Cruz, and Ena Angela Oculto, but skyrocketing airfares for the South American country proved to be all too challenging. Still, it was not something that stopped half the team from representing the country at this international business competition for teens.
Indeed, the sacrifices paid off. The team garnered the coveted Gold Medal or First Place of the ARTHUR BOSCHEE and EVELYN BALL INTERNATIONAL AWARD FOR SOCIAL ENTERPRISE. Furthermore, the team also reaped the following SAGE International Awards for Best Social Enterprises Addressing the UN Millennium Development Goals:
3rd Place in Goal 1 (Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger).
1st Place in Goal 3 (Promote gender equality and empower women)
1st Place in Goal 7 (Ensure environmental sustainability)
3rd Place in Goal 8 (Develop a global partnership for development)
The International Award for Social Enterprise has been established in memory of Jerr and Ken Boschee’s father, Arthur Boschee, and in memory of Linda Ball’s mother, Evelyn Ball. Arthur Boschee (1910-2000) and Evelyn Ball (1910-1993) were both successful small business entrepreneurs who took significant risks while building their businesses and had an abiding concern for the welfare of others. Jerr Boschee is the Founder of the Institute for Social Entrepreneurs. The team received a plaque and a prize money of USD 2,000 for their business. The International Award was first given at the 2007 SAGE World Cup and the first recipient was the SAGE Philippines team from Ateneo de Manila University High School.
The Sultan Kudarat team’s business strikes a balance between economy and ecology by coming up with an innovative use of palm fronds into cement blocks. The final product proves to be 20% more economical than commercial hollow blocks used in construction. Palm Fronds Hollow Blocks is also fire-resistant and lightweight. The business promises to address the acute housing shortage in the country and arrest the rising cost of construction materials. Their social venture, in the municipality of Isulan, trained over 100 male participants on the skills needed on the fabrication of palm frond, cement-bonded blocks used in construction. With this venture, the SAGE team also educated the residents on the environmental and health hazards created by improper burning of this agricultural residue.
Furthermore, this high school team also empowers T’boli women and their handicrafts who are also using a by-product of palm fronds discarded from palm farming. The team dedicates some of their time to carry out education and skills training to revive the handicraft weaving business with emphasis on financial management, marketing operations and quality control. The students aim to create business opportunities for this ethnic group while enhancing and strengthening cultural appreciation and preservation.
No louder cheer went up for any team during the final awards ceremony than when the SAGE Global staff announced this award to the Philippine team. Dr. Curtis L. DeBerg, SAGE Global Founder and CEO, said, “Rodolfo and his SAGE team, as represented by Johanna and Kent, should be very proud of what they have accomplished. The Philippines has come roaring back to the SAGE competition, having won the Third Annual World Cup in San Francisco, USA in May 2005.”
Rob Best, SAGE Global COO and one of the judges for the Boschee/Ball Award, said, “Johanna, Kent and Rodolfo simply won the hearts and souls of all 200 participants from 14 countries.”
Based on their performance, SAGE Global is seriously considering the Philippines as the host country for next year’s 2010 SAGE World Cup (eighth year). Other candidates include South Africa, South Korea, and USA.
SAGE Philippines is part of the Global SAGE Network, which adheres to the vision of “creating better futures through entrepreneurship and community service”. It commits itself to the mission to create the next generation of entrepreneurial leaders whose innovations and social enterprises address the major unmet needs of our global community.
The Sultan Kudarat SAGE team competed and was declared Champion at the SAGE Philippines Cup 2009, an annual competition for high school students all over the country who have ventured into social entrepreneurship. This year’s Cup was co-convened by the Philippine Council of Students in Intrapreneurship (PCSI) and the Junior Jaycees of Los Baños last June 20-21, 2009 at the University of the Philippines Los Baños. The event was supported by the British Council’s Global Changemaker’s Grant, Youth Works Inc, and Studio 23. SAGE Philippines would like to acknowledge Dr. George Sorio, Chairman of PCSI who personally made the team’s travel to Brazil possible.
August 15th, 2009 at 7:18 pm
congratulations!
you prove again to the world that the pinoy’s are really the real champion in the world…
wow ang galing….
GODBLESS
August 16th, 2009 at 5:49 pm
Kent and Hani are my cm8’s. Te are proud of them. They proved that Kudaratenios are skillful. Again, congratulations and see you soon!
August 16th, 2009 at 5:51 pm
MAbuhay kayo! hehehehe….
August 18th, 2009 at 12:03 pm
hello!!congrats!!!
can i ask how the project was made possible??
cno po nakakaalam ng contact # or email ng kahit cno sa team???pls respond
August 19th, 2009 at 10:19 am
We sent the right team to Brazil! Congratulations!