A POWERHOUSE of panelists who are young entrepreneurs themselves will be the key conference speakers in the First Regional Youth Entrepreneurship Congress at the Camarines Sur Convention Center in Pili, Camarines Sur on December 5 to 6, 2014.
With the theme, “Laying down the building blocks of tomorrow’s economy, today,” the congress is sponsored by the Camarines Sur Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CSCCI) and in partnership with Camarines Sur Governor Migz Villafuerte, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Department of Trade and Industry, The Department of Tourism, the Junior Chamber International of Iriga City, and the GMA Network.
Among the speakers is Jordan Imutan who will speak on Digital Marketing, particularly on IT Industry/e-Learning. He started his career as a photocopy boy for Agcaoili and Associates. His first job was cleaning bank-repossessed properties. He discovered great opportunities to grow by engaging in the Information Technology Industry, working as a Cobol Computer programmer, Systems Analyst, Instructor, and Project Leader.
From his being a section head of a small division at Far East Bank, he rose to being hired in the IT Department of the largest Commercial Bank in the Middle East, the National Commercial Bank, to being the Senior Executive Vice President changing the landscape of banking by improving the Retail Operations Department, cutting down operational errors and losses in the Payment Operations Departrment, to setting up a Project Management Office, to being Program Director for a number of critical programs, the last of which was composed of 17 projects that reduced the banks’ operating cost by 10% or P2 billion a year.
Now in retirement, he went on to speaking and training engagements for Salt & Light as well as Catalyst360, set up a consulting firm (Axel Gabe Management Consulting) and an e-learning company (Beyond Notebooks). He is the Executive Director for iACADEMYs School of Continuing Education, facilitated corporate workshops with Manila Waters, Maynilad. Grolier, SM. He was a panelist for Inspiring Change and the Learning Event on the ASEAN Integration.
Another speaker on Digital Marketing, particularly on 3D Graphic Arts is Kent Villanueva Osial, the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Quest Works, Inc. based in Manila, which is a video production house of high quality and innovative corporate videos and other media solutions in print, broadcast and multi-media, and the web. One of its specialized services is the creation of 3D Composition masterpieces, refined by his own experience, innate creative skills, science research, and personal studies in the field of 3D Animation. He has partnered with Osmium, a game apps development with back end operations in Dubai and has currently expanded his company services to events Management.
He used to be Director and Executive Producer of Cyber@tion, at ABC 5, a weekly Tele-magazine show on the latest trends in Technology, Gadgets &Computer Gaming. He is a graduate of Don Bosco Technical Institute on PasongTamo, Makati.
Still another resource speaker on Digital Marketing particularly on Techno-preneurship is Stephen Jagger, who started businesses while still in high school. Currently he is involved in 4 businesses: Ubertor.com, a real estate software company providing websites and online marketing to thousands of real estate agents across North America; Reachd.com, a training company that focuses on marketing professionals and businesses that are interested in learning more about search engine optimization, blogging, online video, Google Adwords, and social media; Outsourcing Things Done.com. which provides high level outsourced personnel to business owners and managers across North America; and Payroll Hero.com, which he describes as “optimizing work productivity with happiness.”
He has had speaking engagements on real estate conferences in Vancouver, BC, in New York, NY, in Toronto, ON, in Calgary, AB, Hong Kong, San Framcisco, CA, in Squamish, BC, in Richmond, BC, Surrey, BC, Omaha, NE, Winnepeg, MB, Singapore, SI, Manila, and before Entrepreneur Organization chapters around the world. Recently he was asked to re-write parts of the BC Real Estate Association Manual that all realtors need to read to pass the real estate course in Western Canada.
To speak on Digital Marketing, with emphasis on IT/Business Process, is Ms. Penny Bongato. She has more than 15 years of HR executive roles in major outsourcing players in the country. She is the Executive Director-Talent Development of Business Process Association of the Philippines (BPAP). She is a fellow in Personnel Management and a Board Director of the People Management Association of the Philippines (PMAP). She holds an MBA degree from the Regis Program at Ateneo Graduate School of Business.
On Fashion, the resource speaker is Manila born Filipino-Chinese Timothy Yap, a BA Marketing graduate from De La Salle University. He has a Master of Entrepreneurship from the Asian Institute of Management. He is a TV host (The Tim Yap show at GMA-7, The Metro Manila Film Festival Awards in 2010 and 2011, The Miss World Philippines in 2011), entrepreneur, columnist (pop culture section of The Philippine Star entitled Supreme), and club owner.
Yap’s entrepreneurial ventures included his own line of watches, toys, t-shirts, and fragrances. He owns several clubs in Metro Manila, Angeles City, and Boracay. He is co-owner of Opus Luxe Lounge, Café Republiq, and Cabana Club at the Resorts World Manila, Manor Superclub in Eastwood, Quezon City, Arcamana’s Filipino Cuisine in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, Prive Luxury Club, and The Tides Hotel in Boracay.
Currently he is an endorser of many brands, including Belo Nutraceuticals, Blackberry,FILA, Globe Tattoo as well as brand ambassador for Procter and Gamble hair care, personal grooming and skincare, the style hub.
Since 2008, Yap has been an active supporter of the Virlaine Foundation, a non-government organization engaged in helping street children.
In 2007 and in 2008 he received the PMPC Star Awards for TV Best Lifestyle Show Hosts with Raymond Gutierrez and Issa Litton for Living It Up. He also hosts the morning radio talk The Playground on 99.5 PLAYFM with Sam Oh and Nikko Ramos. In 2013 he was awarded Outstanding Young Filipino in Entrepreneurship by Gawad Amerika.
On Entertainment and Production, the resource speaker is Alvin Kingson Y. Tan, the President and CEO of Technominds-Easco Inc. He conceptualized Siglo, a technology-based livelihood program for the poor and he was able to tap the PLDT as its reseller of products targeting the Small and Medium enterprises.
He is also Vice President of Jersey Haven International, Inc., which specializes in customized sports apparel using imported fabrics and was able to close ties with PBA as a licensee of the PBA Retro Jerseys and PBA Bags.
He is President/CEO of Fil-Chi Media Productions Inc. which has conceptualized the TV show Chinoy TV. He launched a new division, Chinoy 360, which provides ads and marketing consultancy to companies targeting the Filipino-Chinese community and the Chinoy TV Live, which creates events during big Chinese celebrations such as the Chinese New Year and Mid-Autumn Festival and the Chinoypreneur, a reality business show that aims to promote entrepreneurship to the youth.
Invited to the congress are young entrepreneurs (18-40 years old), would be entrepreneurs, educators, and students.
As of presstime, students taking entrepreneurship in Legazpi City and in Iriga City have made early reservations.
The plenary sessions of the congress will streamline toward the lucrative industries for entrepreneurs, the potential hurdles, struggles of a new entrepreneur, especially during the first two to five years of operation of the business, the creation of supporting networks such as government agencies, financial institutions and associations, and similar institutions.
Since the event is for the young, who will look forward to events and parties, a fellowship night will be tendered by Gov. Migz Villafuerte and the Provincial government of Camarines Sur.
One of the highlights of this congress is the trade fair and exhibit that will showcase gadgets, fashion and accessories, institutional, and food which provide great exposure and marketing tool for exhibitors. A total of 30 booths are available for lease.
The registration fee of P500 shall underwrite the conference kit, meals and snacks, and access to breakout sessions and trade fair/exhibits. Participants are enjoined observe a dress code — casual smart dress during the crongress.