President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo yesterday urged the Negrense youth to be part of "the next generation of successful entrepreneurs."

Arroyo, who gave the awards for the 11 most inspiring Bacolod entrepreneurs at the Go Negosyo Caravan at the University of St. La Salle Coliseum, said the awardees are "icons and role models" for entrepreneurship.

"Kag tani sa mga kabataan diri sa aton (And I hope that for the young people in this) gymnasium, the day will come when you also will be the objects of adulation and you could be the next generation's successful entrepreneurs," she told the Bacolod crowd that included about 5,000 students from various high schools, colleges and university in Negros Occidental.

Arroyo said she wasn't supposed to give a speech at the awarding rites, but after giving out the trophies, she requested for a microphone and congratulated the awardees and greeted the audience.

When moderator Cito Beltran announced her arrival earlier, the crowd became excited. Some people in the audience also mobbed and took pictures of Arroyo on her way to the front row.

Recognized by the Go Negosyo, a project of the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship, were Josephine Locsin of Tumandok Crafts Industries, Dianna Lyn Agustin and Maria Corazon Bitong of BAYO, Olivia Yanson of Yanson Group of Companies/Ceres Liner Bus Company, Jose Maria Cajili of Chicken House;

Cecile del Castillo of Dungganon Bank/Negros Women for Tomorrow Foundation, James Chua of Foodman Industries, Gov. Joseph Marañon for Mambukal Resort, Roberto Montelibano of GH Foods Inc., Joaquin Torre of Riverside Medical Center, and Benjamin Lopue Sr. of Lopue's Group of Companies.

Also recognized were the Oustanding Bacolod Business Support Organizations including the Association of Negros Producers Inc., IT Focus Team, Negros Kabisig Livelihood Foundation Inc., and USLS-Business Resource Center. Joey Concepcion III, PCE founding trustee and presidential consultant for entrepreneurship, said the 11 awardees "serve as an inspiration for you out there who think that you cannot do it."

"It all starts with a dream and ends with a passion and determination to succeed and really want to become a negosyante," he said. +

+++ Concepcion also called on Negrenses to help President Arroyo realize her dream of creating three million entrepreneurs before she finishes her term in 2010.

"Let us support our President (so she can) graduate with honors because this country in the next three years will become a great country," he said.

PCE Executive Director Ramon Lopez said the response of the Negrenses to the Go Negosyo sa Bacolod is "very encouraging."

"We're inspired, there's a lot of enthusiasm. We're full house, we're very happy with the positive response," he said.

Lopez said he hopes that the young people who attended Go Negosyo will be encouraged to become successful entrepreneurs. "That is our main objective, to start a spark in them," he said, adding that even if only 10 of the young Negrenses who came yesterday will put up their own enterprises in the future, it would be a success for Go Negosyo.

Go Negosyo advocates Dr. Vicki Belo of Belo Medical Group, Myla Villanueva of MDI Group of Holdings, Vivienne Tan of Entrepreneurs School of Asia, Jay Aldeguer of Island Souvenirs, Gaita Fores of Cibo Manila, and Roberto Montelibano of GH Food Industries shared their entrepreneurial experiences during the keynote forum.

Bro. Rolando Dizon, chairman of the Bacolod City Economic and Business Council, received a fish-shaped trophy from Concepcion at the end of the morning forum to recognize his efforts as a partner of Go Negosyo.

The trophy's shape symbolizes the Go Negosyo main theme, "Teach a nation how to fish and we will feed a nation for many lifetimes."*NLG

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