3 Youth Entrepreneurship Program winners in Kalinga get aid for their business start-up

Tabuk City, Kalinga – Initial support for the business pitch ideas of the three winners of this year’s Youth Entrepreneurship Program- Project ‘MARITES’ has been assured as they were granted livelihood kits on Friday, August 2 by the Department of Trade and Industry-Kalinga.

The livelihood kits, amounting to P7,000 each served as their prize after outperforming their fellow, aspiring youth entrepreneurs in the Business Pitch Competition segment of the Youth Entrepreneurship Program.

DTI-Kalinga said the given kits were based on what the winners need in order for them to begin working on or sustaining their business.

Mr. Eduardo Bautista, the first-place winner was provided with cooking equipment to support him in the production of chili products. For Jerald Encollado, he was given goat feeds to back him in his goat farming agri-business.

Danny Joe Perona, meantime, was awarded with swine feeds to aid him in his pig farming business.

Encollado expressed gratitude to DTI Kalinga and the Commission on Higher Education for conceptualizing the program, underscoring that the program is a big help for aspiring entrepreneurs like him.

“This program enhanced our entrepreneurship spirit and gave us the opportunity to grow, learn, and expand our ideas into business. I would like also to thank DTI Kalinga for the negosyo kits they have given us. These would be a big help in our business,” he expressed.

As they are set to embark on the Regional Business Pitch Competition in Baguio City this September, Encollado, along with the two other winners, will undergo mentoring and training in the coming days.

To recall, 25 individuals joined this year’s edition of the program. Through the program, the beneficiaries underwent training helping them gain adequate knowledge and skills in entrepreneurship.

They also presented their innovative business model canvases on the training’s third day through the Business Pitch Competition, which serves as the program’s highlight.

YEP is an initiative by DTI aimed at empowering youth through entrepreneurship. The program was later enhanced via the Project MARITES by the Commission on Higher Education. MARITES stands for Mobilizing Available Resources through Inclusive Training on Entrepreneurship of Student-Grantees.