HONG KONG — PLDT Global Corp. (PGC), the global marketing, sales and operating arm of Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT), has partnered with the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship (PCE) to bring its Smart Pinoy-Go Negosyo caravan to Hong Kong which has 200,000 Filipino household workers and professionals.
The next Smart Pinoy-Go Negosyo caravans will be held in Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, Guam, Macau, UK, and the US.
“This is our way of providing Overseas Filipinos a viable option when they return home and decide to start a business in our country,” according to PLDT and Smart EVP and Head of Enterprise, International, and Carrier Business, Eric Alberto.
The first leg of the Smart Pinoy-Go Negosyo caravan will be held this Sunday, October 18, 2015, at the Bayanihan Center on Victoria Road, Hong Kong, in cooperation with the Philippine General Consulate Office.
Around 300 participants are expected to join the caravan. “It will be a whole day of learning and fun for our entrepreneurial overseas Filipinos and we’re giving them access to the Smart Pinoy-Go Negosyo caravan for free,” says PGC President and CEO Alex Caeg.
The caravan will include talks on financial literacy, basics of franchising, and developing the right mind set to be conducted by Mr. Ramon Lopez, the Executive Director of Go Negosyo, Mr. Armando Bartolome, Chairman of the Association of Filipino Franchisers Inc. and Mr. Mon Abrea, the Chief Strategy Officer of Abrea Consulting.
The caravan includes a forum featuring successful entrepreneurs, former OFW-founder of a Davao-based Business Process Outsourcing, Mynd Consulting, the Chairman/CEO of Reyes Haircutters and the owner of Lagalag Outdoor Co. who have successfully expanded their business through the digital platform.
An exhibit will showcase Philippine businesses where caravan participants can sign-up for more information or possible franchising.
“We are pleased to bring the Go Negosyo knowhow to our overseas Filipinos. We hope that the stories from our successful entrepreneurs will inspire them to plan for their future and prepare for their eventual return to their home country,” PLDT FVP and Head of PLDT SME Nation Kat Luna-Abelarde maintained.
So far, Smart Pinoy has been serving overseas Filipinos in Hong Kong since 2004, following a partnership with HKT, a subsidiary of PCCW Hong Kong.
“Through Smart Pinoy, we are able to service the needs of our overseas Filipinos with our wide range of telco and digital services distributed via a strong and strategic retail channel,” stressed PGC Hong Kong General Manager Edith Gomez.
Aside from data and voice offers, Smart Pinoy prepares customers for their return to the Philippines.
“Through our Load & Save Program, they earn peso rewards for every reload which is credited to their Smart Money account. Peso rewards can be remitted to their loved ones in the Philippines or save it for future business engagements,” she noted.
PLDT HK’s advocacy on OFW Reintegration program started in 2013.
Go Negosyo is the advocacy of the PCE, organized by top business leaders, to popularize entrepreneurship among Filipinos as an alternative to unemployment, job-seeking or migration.
