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		<title>The Bag That Breathes Life</title>
		<link>http://ruizmark.com/2010/06/25/the-bag-that-breathes-life/</link>
		<comments>http://ruizmark.com/2010/06/25/the-bag-that-breathes-life/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 25 Jun 2010 04:00:28 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Mark Ruiz</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Rags2Riches]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Social Business Enterprise]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[reposted from Reese Fernandez, via her blog Reese&#8217;s Pieces THE BAG THAT BREATHES LIFE by Reese Fernandez Rags2Riches has recently launched the RIIR by Rajo Laurel Tree Bag Project. It is a project that has been inspiring our team for the past few months now (when we were still preparing it). The RIIR by Rajo [...]


Related posts:<ol><li><a href='http://ruizmark.com/2009/09/07/rags2riches-and-eastwood-mall-launch-cory-aquino-edition-enviro-chic-bag/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Rags2Riches and Eastwood Mall Launch Cory Aquino Edition Enviro-Chic Bag'>Rags2Riches and Eastwood Mall Launch Cory Aquino Edition Enviro-Chic Bag</a> <small>In a synergistic blend of advocacies and inspiration, Rags2Riches and...</small></li>
<li><a href='http://ruizmark.com/2010/01/27/business-partners-not-beneficiaries/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Business Partners, not Beneficiaries'>Business Partners, not Beneficiaries</a> <small>Last weekend, Reese Fernandez &#8211; President of Rags2Riches, Inc and...</small></li>
<li><a href='http://ruizmark.com/2009/10/06/riir-aranaz-fallholiday-09-collection/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: RIIR Aranaz Fall/Holiday &#8217;09 Collection'>RIIR Aranaz Fall/Holiday &#8217;09 Collection</a> <small>Rags2Riches Inc. (www.rags2riches.ph) is an emerging global Filipino social business...</small></li>
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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://reesefernandez.wordpress.com/2010/07/05/the-bag-that-breathes-life/" target="_blank">reposted</a> from Reese Fernandez, via her blog <a href="http://reesefernandez.wordpress.com" target="_blank">Reese&#8217;s Pieces</a></p>
<p><strong>THE BAG THAT BREATHES LIFE</strong><br />
by Reese Fernandez</p>
<p>Rags2Riches has recently launched the RIIR by Rajo Laurel Tree Bag   Project. It is a project that has been inspiring our team for the past   few months now (when we were still preparing it).</p>
<p>The RIIR by Rajo Laurel Tree Bag is an exquisite, limited edition   everyday bag created by 3 communities from different parts of the   country. It is created using scrap cloth (for the handle), scrap thread   (for the body of the bag), and scrap wood (for the buttons). What makes   it even more exciting is that we will be planting ONE TREE FOR EVERY  BAG  SOLD! We love how all of these causes came together into one  amazing  product designed by one of the Philippines’ premier fashion  designers,  Mr. Rajo Laurel (www.rajolaurel.com)!</p>
<p>This was our event’s invitation card. =)</p>
<p><a href="http://ruizmark.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/treebag1.jpg" rel="lightbox[2014]"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-2015" title="treebag1" src="http://ruizmark.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/treebag1.jpg" alt="" width="452" height="542" /></a></p>
<p><a href="http://ruizmark.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/treebag1b.jpg" rel="lightbox[2014]"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-2016" title="treebag1b" src="http://ruizmark.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/treebag1b.jpg" alt="" width="480" height="320" /></a><br />
photo credit : Ed San Juan</p>
<p>Yes, the bags are beautiful and very functional. =) But what makes it   even more beautiful are the hands that made them. It is my honor to   introduce them.</p>
<p>The Weavers of Bangued, Abra.</p>
<p><a href="http://ruizmark.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/treebag2.jpg" rel="lightbox[2014]"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-2017" title="treebag2" src="http://ruizmark.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/treebag2.jpg" alt="" width="480" height="370" /></a></p>
<p>The Women of Payatas, Rags2Riches Cooperative</p>
<p><a href="http://ruizmark.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/treebag2b.jpg" rel="lightbox[2014]"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-2018" title="treebag2b" src="http://ruizmark.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/treebag2b.jpg" alt="" width="480" height="370" /></a></p>
<p>We don’t have photos of the wood  carvers of Pardo Cebu yet but as  soon as I get them, I’ll acknowledge  them in this blog. =)</p>
<p>Special thanks to my new found good friend Anya Lim, a wonderful lady   who heads a social enterprise in Cebu called Ant Hill. You can visit   her site here: anthillfabricgallery.multiply.com.</p>
<p>Of course, the launch and the product would not be possible without   the talents and passion of my team. Thank you Matt Pardinas (sales and   marketing manager), Michelle Smith (sales and marketing associate),   Nelson Baclayo (Production Director), Jing Ludovice (Community Relations   Officer), Miguel Abrera (Community Relations and Communications   Officer), Helen Guerrero (Finance and HR Officer) Cynthia Cabrera   (Community Expansion Supervisor, Payatas Cooperative Member), Jhane   Abris (Production Supervisor), Fencia Fonte (Off-Site Production   Supervisor, Payatas cooperative member), Nhing Estabillo (Production   Coordinator, Payatas cooperative member), Kuya Yam, Kuya Marco, and all   the communities who participated!</p>
<p>For orders and inquiries, you may email r2r_matt@yahoo.com. =)</p>
<p>We’ll be coming up with an amazing campaign soon!</p>


<p>Related posts:<ol><li><a href='http://ruizmark.com/2009/09/07/rags2riches-and-eastwood-mall-launch-cory-aquino-edition-enviro-chic-bag/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Rags2Riches and Eastwood Mall Launch Cory Aquino Edition Enviro-Chic Bag'>Rags2Riches and Eastwood Mall Launch Cory Aquino Edition Enviro-Chic Bag</a> <small>In a synergistic blend of advocacies and inspiration, Rags2Riches and...</small></li>
<li><a href='http://ruizmark.com/2010/01/27/business-partners-not-beneficiaries/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Business Partners, not Beneficiaries'>Business Partners, not Beneficiaries</a> <small>Last weekend, Reese Fernandez &#8211; President of Rags2Riches, Inc and...</small></li>
<li><a href='http://ruizmark.com/2009/10/06/riir-aranaz-fallholiday-09-collection/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: RIIR Aranaz Fall/Holiday &#8217;09 Collection'>RIIR Aranaz Fall/Holiday &#8217;09 Collection</a> <small>Rags2Riches Inc. (www.rags2riches.ph) is an emerging global Filipino social business...</small></li>
</ol></p>
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		<title>HapiNews (June Edition)</title>
		<link>http://ruizmark.com/2010/06/12/hapinews-june-edition/</link>
		<comments>http://ruizmark.com/2010/06/12/hapinews-june-edition/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 12 Jun 2010 04:00:10 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Mark Ruiz</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Hapinoy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Social Business Enterprise]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Related posts:HapiNews (Summer Edition) Links to the articles here : SUKI Training &#8211; Hapinoy&#8217;s... Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.


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</ol>

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</ol></p>
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		<title>Changemakers Wanted for Philippines21 Class of 2010</title>
		<link>http://ruizmark.com/2010/05/17/changemakers-wanted-philippines21-for-class-of-2010/</link>
		<comments>http://ruizmark.com/2010/05/17/changemakers-wanted-philippines21-for-class-of-2010/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 17 May 2010 00:00:12 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Mark Ruiz</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[A Better World]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Philippines 2020]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[repost from http://asiasociety.org/policy-politics/asia-21/changemakers-wanted-philippines-21-class-2010 &#8212; 2010 is a year for change. As the country elects local and national officials who will lead our government, Asia Society-Philippines honors dynamic individuals who are at the forefront of change in their respective fields, through the Philippines 21 Young Leaders Initiative. A flagship program of Asia Society-Philippines, the Philippines 21 [...]


Related posts:<ol><li><a href='http://ruizmark.com/2009/08/29/congratulations-to-asia-societys-philippines21-batch-09/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Congratulations to Asia Society&#8217;s Philippines21 Batch &#8217;09!'>Congratulations to Asia Society&#8217;s Philippines21 Batch &#8217;09!</a> <small>Bam and I gave a talk on Innovation and Social...</small></li>
<li><a href='http://ruizmark.com/2010/01/06/rags2riches-looking-for-talented-changemakers-to-join-the-cause/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Rags2Riches Looking for Talented Changemakers to Join the Cause :)'>Rags2Riches Looking for Talented Changemakers to Join the Cause :)</a> <small>Dear Friends and Partners-In-Change, I would like to invite you...</small></li>
<li><a href='http://ruizmark.com/2010/04/16/r2r-president-reese-fernandez-chosen-as-rolex-young-laureate/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: R2R President Reese Fernandez Chosen as Rolex Young Laureate!'>R2R President Reese Fernandez Chosen as Rolex Young Laureate!</a> <small>Rags2Riches President Reese Fernandez was selected as one of the...</small></li>
</ol>

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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://asiasociety.org/policy-politics/asia-21/changemakers-wanted-philippines-21-class-2010"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1978" title="asia21philippines.jpg (JPEG Image, 640x427 pixels)" src="http://ruizmark.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/asia21philippines.jpg-JPEG-Image-640x427-pixels.jpg" alt="" width="638" height="347" /></a></p>
<p>repost from http://asiasociety.org/policy-politics/asia-21/changemakers-wanted-philippines-21-class-2010</p>
<p>&#8212;</p>
<p>2010 is a year for change. As the country elects local and national officials who will lead our government, <a href="http://asiasociety.org/centers/philippines">Asia  Society-Philippines</a> honors dynamic individuals who are at the forefront of change in their respective  fields, through the Philippines 21 Young Leaders Initiative. A flagship program  of Asia Society-Philippines, the Philippines 21 Young Leaders Initiative aims to develop a nationwide, multi-sectoral network of changemakers to meet,  educate and inspire each other; collaborate and share ideas on public service and other meaningful initiatives, and build relationships of trust and understanding.</p>
<p>Nominees must be between 25-40 years old, of Filipino citizenship, and have substantial leadership experience in their chosen field, including  but not limited to the following: academe, business, civil society, media, arts  and culture, military, and government. Prospective Philippines 21 Fellows  must also demonstrate a commitment to devote time and effort to achieve the goals  and projects set by their Class.</p>
<p>Upon selection as Philippines 21 Fellows, the Class of 2010 will convene at a two-day forum where they  will engage in roundtable discussions on issues concerning the Philippines  and the Asia Pacific region, in preparation for their participation in the international program, with the ultimate goal of developing projects to  address these issues. The annual Forum is held in the last week of August.</p>
<p>Philippines 21 Fellows serve as the country&#8217;s official delegation to the Asia 21 Young Leaders Summit, organized annually by Asia Society&#8217;s New  York headquarters. This year&#8217;s Summit, scheduled for November in Jakarta,  will bring together some 200 of the most dynamic next generation leaders from Asia  and the United States.</p>
<p>The 2010 Fellows join an illustrious roster of Fellows such as the eminent DNA scientist Cora de Ungria, award-winning travel blogger Ivan Henares, social innovator Mark Ruiz, IT and gaming entrepreneur Enrique Gonzalez, and CNN Hero of the Year Efren Peñaflorida, Jr.</p>
<p>Nomination forms may be requested from the Philippines 21 Secretariat via email at <a href="mailto:philippines21@gmail.com">philippines21@gmail.com</a> or <a href="mailto:patriciav@asiasociety.org.ph">patriciav@asiasociety.org.ph</a>. <strong>Deadline for nominations is</strong> <strong>on May 31, 2010</strong>.  For sponsorship opportunities and other inquiries, please call Patricia Vega at  (632)7524374. Shortlisted candidates will be notified by mid-June.</p>


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</ol></p>
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		<title>HapiNews (Summer Edition)</title>
		<link>http://ruizmark.com/2010/05/15/hapinews-summer-edition/</link>
		<comments>http://ruizmark.com/2010/05/15/hapinews-summer-edition/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 14 May 2010 22:46:32 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Mark Ruiz</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Hapinoy]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Links to the articles here : SUKI Training &#8211; Hapinoy&#8217;s Training Module and Seminar Hapinoy Products Hapi Interns Related posts:Hapinoy Newsletter, March &#8211; Commencement Activities of Happiness Links to the stories here : Hapi Achievers &#8211; &#8220;The... Hapinoy Newsletter, February &#8211; Feel the Love! Links to the Stories : Love Defined on the Field... HapiNews [...]


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<li><a href='http://ruizmark.com/2010/02/15/hapinoy-newsletter-february-feel-the-love/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Hapinoy Newsletter, February &#8211; Feel the Love!'>Hapinoy Newsletter, February &#8211; Feel the Love!</a> <small>Links to the Stories : Love Defined on the Field...</small></li>
<li><a href='http://ruizmark.com/2010/06/12/hapinews-june-edition/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: HapiNews (June Edition)'>HapiNews (June Edition)</a> <small>...</small></li>
</ol>

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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://ruizmark.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/HapiNews-Summer.jpg" rel="lightbox[1969]"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1968" title="HapiNews Summer" src="http://ruizmark.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/HapiNews-Summer.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="718" /></a></p>
<p>Links to the articles here :</p>
<p><a href="http://hapinoy.com/HAPINOY/featured_articles/suki_training.html">SUKI Training &#8211; Hapinoy&#8217;s Training Module and Seminar</a></p>
<p><a href="http://hapinoy.com/HAPINOY/featured_articles/hapinoy_products.html">Hapinoy Products</a></p>
<p><a href="http://hapinoy.com/HAPINOY/featured_articles/hapi_interns.html">Hapi Interns</a></p>


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<li><a href='http://ruizmark.com/2010/02/15/hapinoy-newsletter-february-feel-the-love/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Hapinoy Newsletter, February &#8211; Feel the Love!'>Hapinoy Newsletter, February &#8211; Feel the Love!</a> <small>Links to the Stories : Love Defined on the Field...</small></li>
<li><a href='http://ruizmark.com/2010/06/12/hapinews-june-edition/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: HapiNews (June Edition)'>HapiNews (June Edition)</a> <small>...</small></li>
</ol></p>
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		<title>INSEAD Social Entrepreneurship Conference</title>
		<link>http://ruizmark.com/2010/05/07/insead-social-entrepreneurship-conference/</link>
		<comments>http://ruizmark.com/2010/05/07/insead-social-entrepreneurship-conference/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 07 May 2010 04:00:28 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Mark Ruiz</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[A Better World]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hapinoy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rags2Riches]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Social Business Enterprise]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Last December 2009, I attended INSEAD&#8217;s Social Entrepreneurship Programme in Singapore. As part of ISEP&#8217;s ongoing efforts to create a vibrant community as well as advance the field, they are organizing their 4th Conference, aptly entitled &#8216;Social Entrepreneurship for Social Change&#8217; in Istanbul, Turkey this coming June 4. Hans Wahl, Senior Associate Director has extended [...]


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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://myweb.sabanciuniv.edu/sosyalgirisimcilik/"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1971" title="Social Entrepreneurship" src="http://ruizmark.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Social-Entrepreneurship.jpg" alt="" width="641" height="159" /><br />
</a></p>
<p>Last December 2009, I attended <a href="http://ruizmark.com/2009/12/06/insead-social-entrepreneurship-programme-09/">INSEAD&#8217;s Social Entrepreneurship Programme in Singapore</a>.</p>
<p>As part of ISEP&#8217;s ongoing efforts to create a vibrant community as well as advance the field, they are organizing their 4th Conference, aptly entitled <em>&#8216;Social Entrepreneurship for Social Change&#8217;</em> in Istanbul, Turkey this coming June 4.</p>
<p>Hans Wahl, Senior Associate Director has extended an invitation to join &#8211; as well as participate on the Leadership Roundtable (which will be held adjacently to the conference) -  and as such I will be excitedly attending <img src='http://ruizmark.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':)' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p>You might want to join too! Check out the <a href="http://myweb.sabanciuniv.edu/sosyalgirisimcilik/">official conference website</a> for more details.</p>
<p>&#8212;</p>
<p><strong>“SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP FOR  SOCIAL CHANGE” Conference</strong></p>
<p>Today, social issues are being tackled through socially innovative  approaches instead of traditional philanthropic methods.</p>
<p>Social entrepreneurship entails a comprehensive approach, which is  both innovative and realistic, dealing with the core of social issues  and trying to change conditions that create them; contrary to temporary  solutions provided by philanthropic endeavors.</p>
<p><strong>INSEAD Social Enterpreneurship Program</strong> (ISEP) is  organizing an international social entrepreneurship conference and  alumni meeting every year since its establishment in 2006. The 2010 <em>Social</em> <em>Entrepreneurship Conference</em> that will take place in Istanbul  is ISEP’s 4th conference.</p>
<p>These international conferences are organized by ISEP and local  partners. This year’s organization is a partnership between ISEP, three  ISEP Alumni from Turkey, and Sabancı University (the details of  organizing institutions and committee members are under the heading of  “About Us” in the web).</p>
<p>The Social Entrepreneurship Conference includes interactive panel  discussions and keynote speeches on major opportunities and challenges  faced by social entrepreneurs around the world.</p>
<p>Inspiring speakers with compelling stories will definitely impress  the attendees!</p>
<p>As the organizing committee, we believe that this conference is a  great instrument to publicize the importance of Social Entrepreneurship  in Turkey, discover new ways to tackle social problems and bring  innovative models into light.</p>
<p>Thus, we INVITE you to join this  remarkable event in the <strong>4th of June 2010</strong> that is the <em>first</em> international conference on <strong>“Social Entrepreneurship”</strong> in  Turkey.</p>


<p>Related posts:<ol><li><a href='http://ruizmark.com/2009/12/06/insead-social-entrepreneurship-programme-09/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: INSEAD Social Entrepreneurship Programme &#8217;09'>INSEAD Social Entrepreneurship Programme &#8217;09</a> <small>Through the referral of Rags2Riches&#8217; partner and investor, LGT Venture...</small></li>
<li><a href='http://ruizmark.com/2010/03/11/asog-forum-on-best-practices-in-social-enterpreneurship/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: ASoG Forum on Best Practices in Social Enterpreneurship'>ASoG Forum on Best Practices in Social Enterpreneurship</a> <small>Reese and I will be speaking in ASoG&#8217;s Forum on...</small></li>
<li><a href='http://ruizmark.com/2009/09/14/social-enterprise-world-forum/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Social Enterprise World Forum'>Social Enterprise World Forum</a> <small>Thanks to MicroVentures Chairman Rapa Lopa, I&#8217;ll be attending and...</small></li>
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		<title>My TEDx Manila Talk on the Social Business Revolution [video]</title>
		<link>http://ruizmark.com/2010/04/30/my-tedx-manila-talk-on-the-social-business-revolution-video/</link>
		<comments>http://ruizmark.com/2010/04/30/my-tedx-manila-talk-on-the-social-business-revolution-video/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 30 Apr 2010 04:00:24 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Mark Ruiz</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[A Better World]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hapinoy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[In Videos]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Social Business Enterprise]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ruizmark.com/?p=1946</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The Videos from the 1st TEDx Manila are now online! Posting my video from my talk on the Social Business Revolution Congratulations to TED fellow Rom Feria and team! Unfortunately I had problems with the microphone so audio&#8217;s not ideal; Sharing my presentation via slideshare as well below. I&#8217;ll find time to make a slidecast [...]


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<li><a href='http://ruizmark.com/2009/09/14/social-enterprise-world-forum/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Social Enterprise World Forum'>Social Enterprise World Forum</a> <small>Thanks to MicroVentures Chairman Rapa Lopa, I&#8217;ll be attending and...</small></li>
<li><a href='http://ruizmark.com/2009/10/28/tedx-is-coming-to-manila/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: TEDx is Coming to Manila'>TEDx is Coming to Manila</a> <small>TED, our inspiration behind putting up the WhyNot?Forum, is coming...</small></li>
</ol>

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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://ruizmark.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/tedxmanila.jpg" rel="lightbox[1946]"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1947" title="tedxmanila" src="http://ruizmark.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/tedxmanila.jpg" alt="" width="474" height="375" /></a></p>
<p>The Videos from the 1st <a href="http://www.tedxmanila.com/">TEDx Manila</a> are now <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/TEDxTalks">online!</a> <img src='http://ruizmark.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':)' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p>Posting my video from my talk on the Social Business Revolution<a href="http://www.tedxmanila.com/"></a> <img src='http://ruizmark.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':)' class='wp-smiley' />  Congratulations to TED fellow Rom Feria and team!</p>
<p><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" width="640" height="385" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/RAFFNvHOvLg&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1&amp;" /><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="640" height="385" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/RAFFNvHOvLg&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1&amp;" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></p>
<p>Unfortunately I had problems with the microphone so audio&#8217;s not ideal;</p>
<p>Sharing my presentation via slideshare as well below. I&#8217;ll find time to make  a slidecast to make it more comprehensible :</p>
<div id="__ss_2655299" style="width: 425px;"><strong style="display: block; margin: 12px 0 4px;"><a title="Change, Inc : How Social Business Can Help Build A Better World" href="http://www.slideshare.net/mjr23z/change-inc-how-social-business-can-help-build-a-better-world">Change, Inc : How Social Business Can Help Build A Better World</a></strong><object id="__sse2655299" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" width="640" height="535" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="src" value="http://static.slidesharecdn.com/swf/ssplayer2.swf?doc=tedxmanilachangeincmarkruiz-091205064849-phpapp02&amp;rel=0&amp;stripped_title=change-inc-how-social-business-can-help-build-a-better-world" /><param name="name" value="__sse2655299" /><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><embed id="__sse2655299" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="640" height="535" src="http://static.slidesharecdn.com/swf/ssplayer2.swf?doc=tedxmanilachangeincmarkruiz-091205064849-phpapp02&amp;rel=0&amp;stripped_title=change-inc-how-social-business-can-help-build-a-better-world" name="__sse2655299" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object>View more <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/">presentations</a> from <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/mjr23z">Mark Ruiz</a>.</p>
</div>


<p>Related posts:<ol><li><a href='http://ruizmark.com/2009/12/06/my-tedx-manila-talk-change-inc-how-social-businesses-can-help-build-a-better-world/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: My TEDx Manila Talk : Change, Inc &#8211; How Social Businesses Can Help Build A Better World'>My TEDx Manila Talk : Change, Inc &#8211; How Social Businesses Can Help Build A Better World</a> <small>Sharing my TEDx Manila Talk &#8212; a personal passion for...</small></li>
<li><a href='http://ruizmark.com/2009/09/14/social-enterprise-world-forum/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Social Enterprise World Forum'>Social Enterprise World Forum</a> <small>Thanks to MicroVentures Chairman Rapa Lopa, I&#8217;ll be attending and...</small></li>
<li><a href='http://ruizmark.com/2009/10/28/tedx-is-coming-to-manila/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: TEDx is Coming to Manila'>TEDx is Coming to Manila</a> <small>TED, our inspiration behind putting up the WhyNot?Forum, is coming...</small></li>
</ol></p>
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		<title>Experiencing The Splinternet</title>
		<link>http://ruizmark.com/2010/04/28/experiencing-the-splinternet/</link>
		<comments>http://ruizmark.com/2010/04/28/experiencing-the-splinternet/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 27 Apr 2010 23:18:13 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Mark Ruiz</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Innovation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Technology & Web 2.0]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ruizmark.com/?p=1938</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[As I was browsing my Google Reader last night, I chanced upon a book, DIY U : EduPunks, EduPreneurs, and the Coming Transformation of Higher Education. Now I&#8217;ve always been passionate about education &#8211; I myself teach an Innovation Class in the Ateneo &#8211; and so I wanted to buy a copy, especially since it [...]


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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>As I was browsing my Google Reader last night, I chanced upon a book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/DIY-Edupunks-Edupreneurs-Transformation-Education/dp/1603582347/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;s=books&amp;qid=1272408306&amp;sr=8-1">DIY U : EduPunks, EduPreneurs, and the Coming Transformation of Higher Education.</a> Now I&#8217;ve always been passionate about education &#8211; I myself teach an <a href="http://ruizmark.com/2009/11/13/spreading-innovation/">Innovation Class</a> in the Ateneo &#8211; and so I wanted to buy a copy, especially since it would be the full-length version of the fascinating <a href="http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/138/who-needs-harvard.html?1272408415">FastCompany article</a> that birthed it.</p>
<p>Now, this whole EduPunk phenomenon is an entirely different conversation in itself. But what I really want to focus on is my experience of fulfilling instant gratification by buying the ebook.</p>
<p>My transition from physical books to eBooks has been brewing for the past couple of years.</p>
<p>Of course, I started by improvising with my Mac  &#8211; reading vertical PDF&#8217;s awkwardly on a horizontally-oriented screen. Then came the iPhone &#8211; and it kickstarted the reading experience on a handheld. After getting a sense of the numerous ebook readers that came out last year, I eventually bet on Barnes &amp; Noble&#8217;s Nook and got one last November when it came out. And more recently, I got an iPad &#8211; which &#8211; intriguingly enough &#8211; has the Amazon Kindle App, iBooks, and (just awaiting release) Barnes &amp; Noble&#8217;s eBook Reader App.</p>
<p>But here&#8217;s the rub. I&#8217;m beginning to feel The Rise of the Splinternet.</p>
<p>This new vocabulary was introduced by <a href="http://ruizmark.com/2008/08/11/globes-iphone-3g-and-the-groundswell/">Groundswell</a> author Josh Bernoff <a href="http://forrester.typepad.com/groundswell/2010/01/the-splinternet-means-the-end-of-the-webs-golden-age.html">in this article</a>.</p>
<p>Simply put &#8211; with the onslaught of these multiple devices, platforms, and software standards &#8211; competing companies such as Apple, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble &#8211; have created walled gardens, as opposed to the open playground the internet was supposed to be.</p>
<p>Josh shares this summary table :</p>
<p><a href="http://forrester.typepad.com/groundswell/2010/01/the-splinternet-means-the-end-of-the-webs-golden-age.html"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1939" title="splinternet" src="http://ruizmark.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/splinternet.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="575" /></a></p>
<p>Now, i felt this first-hand when I tried to buy my ebook.</p>
<p>The reason I bought the Nook before international release is because I bet on the fact that it would would eventually have international presence &#8211; meaning I could buy online from their storefront all the way from the Philippines &#8211; a feature that the Amazon Kindle already has. Unfortunately, this hasn&#8217;t happened yet.</p>
<p>Now, I could have bought the Kindle, but at that time it didn&#8217;t provide PDF support. More importantly, Amazon created their own proprietary ebook format, and shunned the cross-hardware-platform ePub &#8211; which the Nook embraced with open arms.</p>
<p>So it really is kind of a tangled mess. Because the Nook could read the ePub format, i was able to buy ebooks from different sources outside of B&amp;N and load it in, while waiting their international presence. But along came the iPad, which made my decision-making process ever more complicated.</p>
<p>My ideal situation is that I could buy an ePub book which I can then read on my Nook, on my Mac, on my iPhone, and on my iPad. I really don&#8217;t have that option right now.</p>
<p>B&amp;N doesn&#8217;t have international sales yet; The iPad has iBooks which can read ePub, but it&#8217;s not yet available in the Philippines. Amazon Kindle is on the iPad/iPhone, but it&#8217;s not in ePub format and hence I can&#8217;t load it on my Nook.</p>
<p>I eventually bought the Amazon Kindle ebook, because it was the only avenue I could buy this book from, as it wasn&#8217;t available in the ePub online bookstores yet.</p>
<p>Whatever happened to Openness? Can&#8217;t we all just get along?</p>


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		<title>Integrity, Sincerity, &amp; Execution as Currency</title>
		<link>http://ruizmark.com/2010/04/23/integrity-sincerity-execution-as-currency/</link>
		<comments>http://ruizmark.com/2010/04/23/integrity-sincerity-execution-as-currency/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 23 Apr 2010 04:00:51 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Mark Ruiz</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[1Life's Work]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Entrepreneurship]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Happynomics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Life 3.0]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Social Business Enterprise]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ruizmark.com/?p=1767</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I&#8217;ve been ruminating on the intangible values that make for a great social entrepreneur. Beyond the usual Competency 101 Profiles &#8211; visionary, entrepreneurial, business-minded, collaborative, empathic, empowering &#8211; I&#8217;ve reflected on (3) less popular characteristics that I wanted to highlight. I picked these (3) values as I consider them &#8216;currency&#8217; in making one more effective, [...]


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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I&#8217;ve been ruminating on the intangible values that make for a great social entrepreneur.</p>
<p>Beyond the usual Competency 101 Profiles &#8211; visionary, entrepreneurial, business-minded, collaborative, empathic, empowering &#8211; I&#8217;ve reflected on (3) less popular characteristics that I wanted to highlight. I picked these (3) values as I consider them &#8216;currency&#8217; in making one more effective, especially in working with people.</p>
<p>For me, these (3) are : Integrity, Sincerity, and the Ability to Execute &#8211; values that I continue to aspire for, and hope to one day realize.</p>
<p>&#8212;</p>
<p><em>1. Integrity</em></p>
<p>Integrity is the default absolute must-have. After all, it is the cornerstone of being a social entrepreneur.</p>
<p>For me, the seed of integrity starts with the fact that you&#8217;re doing this for the right reasons; You have to be fueled by the right intentions.</p>
<p>It shouldn&#8217;t be about the money (although self-sustainability is undeniably important), your ego, or the warm fuzzy feeling one gets from &#8220;doing good&#8221;. My personal opinion is that you should be passionate about solving social problems, and obsessed about living a life of service.</p>
<p>Furthermore, integrity is about uncompromisingly doing the right thing. This can take the form of having core principles that you will adhere to, even when the going gets tough. In Hapinoy, for example, whenever we are faced with difficult decisions, we simplify it to one simple question : &#8220;What&#8217;s Good For Nanay (the Hapinoy Store Owner)?&#8221;. This ultimately sways the decision that we take.</p>
<p>When people know that you have integrity, they will trust you,  collaborate with you, support you, do business with you. So you really have to guard  this with your life. And the secret is simple : just live a life of integrity (I absolutely know that this is easier said that done!).</p>
<p>There are no techniques to gain integrity and build reputation, one must simply try as hard as s/he can to stay true to it. The easiest way to not have any skeletons in your closet that will explode in your face &#8211; is to not have any skeletons in the first place.</p>
<p><em>2. Sincerity</em></p>
<p>As a social entrepreneur, you&#8217;ll most likely be working with marginalized sectors/communities, tackling a palpable social problem &#8211; whether this be on livelihood, healthcare, education, poverty, inequality, access to energy, etcetera.</p>
<p>Now, take note that the people you will be serving and/or <a href="http://ruizmark.com/2010/01/27/business-partners-not-beneficiaries/">partnering with</a> could have already been &#8220;betrayed&#8221; by over-promising politicians, or &#8220;let down&#8221; by good-intentioned, yet unsustainable organizations who came and then went away. In any case, earning the community&#8217;s trust &#8211; that you are here for the long-haul &#8211; is an important first step, and the smell of sincerity is a key that opens up communication and dialogue. (And trust me when I say that without the community&#8217;s trust, you will not be able to accomplish anything.)</p>
<p>Trust is not something easily given, and as such it must and will be earned through time. In <a href="http://www.rags2riches.ph">Rags2Riches</a>, it took over a year for things to really mature such that the Cooperative formation became a welcome development and shared goal. And although the program became more robust, I&#8217;d like to believe that it is the Community&#8217;s belief in the sincerity and integrity of the R2R team that made this social enterprise truly work.</p>
<p><em>3. Ability to Execute</em></p>
<p>Most Social Enterprises &#8211; especially if they are veritable game-changers &#8211; will start as a vision of what could be, and not what is. Now, while this is certainly inspiring, it also lends itself to the term, &#8220;Drawing lang &#8216;yan&#8221; &#8211; which means to say that it is still only a concept drawing on paper. In other words, it&#8217;s a skeptic&#8217;s perspective &#8211; it hasn&#8217;t happened until it has happened. In fact, you can be the most  kind-hearted person in the world, but until you  fulfill the vision you&#8217;re painting  &#8211; even gradually &#8211; you will be less  effective in the eyes of your partners.</p>
<p>A former boss of mine taught me a valuable lesson : the best argument against your critics will always be results. After all, results will always speak for themselves. This holds true as well for social entrepreneurship.</p>
<p>The Ability to Execute and make the vision gradually real is sacrosanct. It not only fuels credibility, but it also spurs a bandwagon effect that increases momentum and growth.</p>
<p>In my view, <a href="http://www.hapinoy.com">Hapinoy</a> still has a long way to go in realizing the true potential of the program, especially as we see it in our heads. But we continue to execute, iterate, execute, iterate &#8211; and gradually build on the unfolding results. It&#8217;s admittedly a continuing uphill battle, but one that we&#8217;re absolutely committed to getting to eventually.</p>
<p>&#8212;</p>
<p>The reason I call the above (3) as &#8216;currency&#8217; is this &#8211; a large chunk of a social entrepreneur&#8217;s time is invested in working with people.</p>
<p>And one particular nuance in a social entrep&#8217;s lifestyle &#8211; is that we do not strictly transact as other people do. For example, a normal business would be focused on finding suppliers and workers, pay them to do a job &#8211; and on the other side, sell to a customer, and gain cash from the exchange. In this model, money is the main currency.</p>
<p>The social entrepreneur, on the other hand, will also transact with money, yes &#8211; but will go and build deeper relationships. And at this level, it&#8217;s really intangible currency that can spell the  difference.</p>
<p>In Hapinoy, we don&#8217;t hire and pay microentrepreneurs as labor; We work with them in order to co-build their business; In Rags2Riches, we don&#8217;t just sell bags, we sell the broader advocacy of eco-ethical style.</p>
<p>Money definitely speaks &#8211; but in social entrepreneurship, so do Integrity, Sincerity, and Execution.</p>


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		<title>R2R President Reese Fernandez Chosen as Rolex Young Laureate!</title>
		<link>http://ruizmark.com/2010/04/16/r2r-president-reese-fernandez-chosen-as-rolex-young-laureate/</link>
		<comments>http://ruizmark.com/2010/04/16/r2r-president-reese-fernandez-chosen-as-rolex-young-laureate/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 16 Apr 2010 04:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Mark Ruiz</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[A Better World]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Eco-Ethical Style]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[In the News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rags2Riches]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Social Business Enterprise]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ruizmark.com/?p=1758</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Rags2Riches President Reese Fernandez was selected as one of the 5 inaugural Rolex Young Laureates! While this is most certainly an award for my fiance&#8217; (!) , it&#8217;s also a glowing testament of the work that Rags2Riches is doing. In fact, as Reese is the first to always mention &#8211; this award truly belongs to [...]


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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Rags2Riches President Reese Fernandez was selected as one of the 5 inaugural Rolex Young Laureates!</p>
<p>While this is most certainly an award for my fiance&#8217; (!) , it&#8217;s also a glowing testament of the work that Rags2Riches is doing. In fact, as Reese is the first to always mention &#8211; this award truly belongs to Rags2Riches, our Communities, our Nanays, our Partners, our Designers, our C0-Advocates, and of course &#8211; our country, the Philippines <img src='http://ruizmark.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':)' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p>With the award, Reese and Rags2Riches will be putting up RISE &#8211; the Rags2Riches Innovation and Social Enterprise Center (although other auxiliary names are being explored for it :p) which will be the livelab that will further scale our work in Eco-Ethical Style.</p>
<p>More details of this endeavor in the months to come &#8211; but suffice to say that 2010 continues to be an exciting year for this Social Business Enterprise.</p>
<p>Congratulations, Reese!!! We&#8217;re all very proud of you <img src='http://ruizmark.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':)' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p><a href="http://young.rolexawards.com/home"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1756" title="Rolex Young  Laureates _ Home" src="http://ruizmark.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Rolex-Young-Laureates-_-Home.jpg" alt="Rolex Young Laureates _ Home" width="639" height="313" /></a></p>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1759" title="ylp" src="http://ruizmark.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/ylp.jpg" alt="ylp" width="381" height="650" /></p>
<p><strong>ROLEX ANNOUNCES FIRST WINNERS OF YOUNG LAUREATE AWARDS </strong></p>
<p><strong>Five  Pioneers Poised to Change the World </strong></p>
<p><strong>Geneva, 15 April  2010 </strong>– Five visionaries aged under 30 from Ethiopia, India, Nigeria,  the Philippines and the United States have been selected as the Young  Laureates in the inaugural Rolex Awards for Enterprise: Young Laureates  Programme, Rolex announced today at a press conference in Geneva.</p>
<p>Chosen  from a pool of nearly 200 candidates worldwide by an international jury  of experts, these outstanding social entrepreneurs impressed the  judging panel with their passion and conviction to overcome challenges  in the areas of science and health, applied technology, exploration, the  environment and cultural preservation.</p>
<p>The Rolex Young Laureates  are:</p>
<p><strong>Jacob COLKER, 26, United States </strong>– is changing the  way people get involved in community service. His internet-based  programme allows volunteers to use their smartphones to donate spare</p>
<p>minutes to charitable and scientific organizations.</p>
<p><strong>Reese  FERNANDEZ, 25, Philippines </strong>– is committed to alleviating poverty by  training people to become social entrepreneurs. Her Rags2Riches  enterprise has already empowered hundreds of women to earn a living by  turning scrap materials into elegant fashion accessories.</p>
<p><strong>Nnaemeka  IKEGWUONU, 27, Nigeria </strong>– intends to boost the living standards of  millions of Nigerian farmers through his interactive, mobile radio  network. Hundreds of thousands of rural listeners are already receiving  and exchanging information on sustainable farming practices and health  issues.</p>
<p><strong>Piyush TEWARI, 29, India </strong>– has set up a foundation  to train a network of police officers and volunteers to respond  quickly to road accidents and administer rapid medical care. By  providing immediate assistance to victims, he hopes to stem the  thousands of fatalities that occur on Indian roads each year.</p>
<p><strong>Bruktawit  TIGABU, 28, Ethiopia </strong>– is building on the success of a television  programme on health that she and her husband are producing for preschool  children and their parents.</p>
<p>&#8212;</p>
<p>“Rolex is delighted to support these exceptional young men and women who represent the best of their generation,” said Rebecca Irvin, director of philanthropy at Rolex. “In tackling the problems that face humanity, they do not think in traditional ways or stick to old ideas. Their innovative projects have begun to have a profound effect on their own communities, and potentially could improve the lives of millions of people.”</p>
<p>An expansion of the long-standing Rolex Awards for Enterprise, the Young Laureates Programme honours men and women between the ages of 18 and 30 with inventive ideas. Each Young</p>
<p>Laureate will receive US$50,000 over the course of two years. During the first year, funding of</p>
<p>$25,000 each will give the recipients time to focus on their pioneering projects, while the second instalment will help them move forward in implementing them. The Rolex Awards international network of innovators, comprised mainly of former Laureates, is available for guidance and to help the winners take the projects to another stage.</p>
<p>“In this sound-bite world of ours, Rolex is giving a message to these motivated young people to take time to think things through and do their projects right,” said American ecologist Margaret</p>
<p>D. Lowman, one of the 10 jury members who chose the winners. “The younger generation really gets it when it comes to the planet and how the machinery of the earth works. We only need to empower them to act and Rolex is doing this by providing the gift of time.”</p>
<p>Another jury member, Singaporean explorer Khoo Swee Chiow, agreed: “Rolex is giving the Young Laureates time to mature. I think preparation is important. That is why, I guess, it took me</p>
<p>ten years before I finally climbed Everest.”</p>
<p>On 11 November 2010, Rolex will mark the accomplishments of the Young Laureates at an event at the recently launched Rolex Learning Center, a hub for educational exchange, at a highly respected Swiss university, the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL). Experts from</p>
<p>related fields, including some former Laureates, will join the celebration.</p>
<p><strong>For further information, visit: young.rolexawards.com, or contact: </strong></p>
<p>Mary O’ Mahony<br />
Head of the Rolex Awards Young Laureates Programme<br />
The Rolex Awards for Enterprise, P.O. Box 1311, 1211 Geneva 26 Switzerland<br />
Tel. +41 22 302 2179, Fax +41 22 302 2585</p>
<p><a href="http://young.rolexawards.com/laureates/reese_fernandez"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1757" title="Rolex Young Laureates _ Reese Fernandez" src="http://ruizmark.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Rolex-Young-Laureates-_-Reese-Fernandez.jpg" alt="Rolex Young Laureates _ Reese Fernandez" width="640" height="454" /></a></p>


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		<title>Mainstreaming Micro</title>
		<link>http://ruizmark.com/2010/04/15/mainstreaming-micro/</link>
		<comments>http://ruizmark.com/2010/04/15/mainstreaming-micro/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 15 Apr 2010 04:00:58 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Mark Ruiz</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[A Better World]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hapinoy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Social Business Enterprise]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[PinoyME Foundation &#8211; the Pinoy MicroEnterprise initiative founded by former President Corazon Aquino &#8211; just held a stakeholder&#8217;s conference on the theme &#8216;MAINSTREAMING MICRO&#8217;. The invitation from Dan Songco, President and CEO of PinoyME, read : &#8220;While microfinance and microenterprise development continues to evolve, the microentrepreneurship sector is faced with growing opportunities and pressing issues [...]


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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1783" title="pinoyME" src="http://ruizmark.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/pinoyME.jpg" alt="pinoyME" width="245" height="256" /></p>
<p><a href="http://www.pinoyme.com" target="_blank">PinoyME Foundation</a> &#8211; the Pinoy MicroEnterprise initiative founded by former President Corazon Aquino &#8211; just held a stakeholder&#8217;s conference on the theme &#8216;MAINSTREAMING MICRO&#8217;.</p>
<p>The invitation from Dan Songco, President and CEO of <a href="http://www.pinoyme.com">PinoyME</a>, read :</p>
<p><em>&#8220;While microfinance and microenterprise development continues to evolve,  the microentrepreneurship sector is faced with growing opportunities and  pressing issues that must be addressed in order to fulfill  microentrepreneurship’s promise in helping the poor move out of poverty.</em></p>
<p><em>The Philippine Microentrepreneurship Stakeholders Conference  aims to assess the current situation and discuss a proposed policy  agenda derived from an extensive survey of literature and roundtable  discussions of policy experts and institutions.  The conference aims to  gather a broad constituency behind this proposed agenda in the hope of  promoting collaboration among the different stakeholders in the sector  and put microentrepreneurship in the mainstream of Philippine social and  economic concerns.&#8221;</em></p>
<p>This theme of transitioning microentrepreneurs from micro to SME is at the core of the work we do in <a href="http://www.hapinoy.com">Hapinoy</a>, and as such I decided to attend. The conference was well-represented with more than 100+ attendees from stakeholders in academe, donor/funding agencies, development organizations,  corporate foundations, microfinance institutions, social enterprises,  commercial banks, and government institutions. There were even quite a few familiar faces whom I last saw in the <a href="http://ruizmark.com/2009/11/27/eradicating-poverty-conference/">Eradicating Poverty Conference held last November in Cebu.</a></p>
<p>&#8212;</p>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1776" title="Mainstreaming Micro" src="http://ruizmark.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Mainstreaming-Micro.jpg" alt="Mainstreaming Micro" width="640" height="829" /><em><br />
Program Schedule of the Mainstreaming Micro Conference</em></p>
<p>&#8212;</p>
<p>The crux of the conference was a proposed Policy Agenda on the state of the microfinancing industry &#8211; as well as policy implications on it scaling across the country. It was authored by core members of the PinoyME research consortium, which is strengthening its knowledge base and research on the sector.</p>
<p>The Policy Framework has four major components : Progress (increasing market opportunities for microentrepreneurs), Impact (increasing MFIs&#8217; impact on reducing poverty), Access (increasing access of poor people to financial services), and Outreach (increasing outreach of microfinance to rural, hard to reach areas).</p>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1778" title="Microfinance policy issues.pdf (page 9 of 13)" src="http://ruizmark.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Microfinance-policy-issues.pdf-page-9-of-13.jpg" alt="Microfinance policy issues.pdf (page 9 of 13)" width="571" height="640" /></p>
<p>These (4) major areas were processed in groups through consultative workshops and dialogue.</p>
<p>I myself joined Workshop #4 on Progress, wherein we tackled the question &#8220;How can we enable microfinance clients to graduate into small enterprises?&#8221;. The group was moderated by Mr. Jerry Pacturan, Executive Director of PDAP (Philippine Development Assistance Program) with discussants Lanny Nanagas, Chit Juan, Jerry Clavecillas, and Vic Roaring.</p>
<p>There were some common threads that lined our group&#8217;s discussion.</p>
<p>One thread was the reality that <em>not all microentrepreneurs want to transition into small entrepreneurs</em>. This is something we&#8217;ve certainly experienced in Hapinoy and as such, we have (2) levels &#8212; 1. Hapinoy Community Stores that act as the depot/distributor/leader to 2. the smaller Hapinoy Stores. Typically, our CS owners are those that have more drive, ambition, and vision both for themselves and their businesses. They also provide role modeling and a provide leverage in multiplying our impact.</p>
<p>Another thread was the model of development itself &#8212; <em>should we be focusing on providing microfinancing/microentrepreneurship, or is it better to put energy behind SME&#8217;s and job creation? </em>I personally think that it should be a balance of both. Job creation would be the relatively easier path; but it is microenterprise development that could provide fertile ground for those diamonds in the rough that will eventually become small-to-medium-sized businesses. Also, microfinancing provides the larger outreach that SME&#8217;s might not be able to scale towards.</p>
<p>Another discussion thread was <em>the role of Microfinancing Institutions vis-a-vis Business Development Services</em>. Should MFI&#8217;s be doing both? Or should they be entirely separate institutions? Our experience with our MFI partner <a href="http://www.cardbankph.com">CARD</a> is that they are able to straddle both, although we at MicroVentures are also fulfilling additional BDS services for them.</p>
<p>The last thread &#8211; and the main point that i was really driving at &#8211; is creating an environment that cultivates and supports microenterprises. On this point, my main belief is that we need infrastructure and institutions that are microenterprise-friendly, as the current environment is decidedly not so. We need better policies for taxation on microenterprises as they integrate into the formal economy; We also need physical infrastructure &#8211; whether it be access to roads, energy, and market linkages. While access to financing has been cracked by the MFI&#8217;s, it is this whole other slew of needs that also have to be addressed if we do indeed hope to mainstream the micro.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, I wasn&#8217;t able to finish the conference but I&#8217;m most certain that the conference went well. More details on <a href="http://www.pinoyme.com">PinoyME&#8217;s website</a>.</p>


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