Here are the Top 10 finalists during the first run of the Sugbo Negosyo Champions in Cebu Province. | Photo courtesy of Sugbo News
MANDAUE CITY, Cebu – The Cebu provincial government recognized on Thursday, October 14, ten entrepreneurs who excelled during the Sugbo Negosyo Expo that was opened in a mall in Cebu City from October 1 to 3.
Called the Top 10 Sugbo Negosyo Champions, these entrepreneurs were selected based on the buyers’ feedback on the quality of the products that they sell, virtual merchandising and costumer service.
From the 10 finalists, the three most outstanding entrepreneurs will be named after the final judging and will be recognized in November.
A report by Sugbo News, the Capitol’s media arm, said each of the Top 10 winners will receive P20, 000 worth of vouchers which they can use to avail of products from Capitol’s program partners and an opportunity to avail of mentorship from the Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI).
In addition to the Top 10 winners, seven “most promising” entrepreneurs were also selected to receive P10, 000 worth of vouchers.
“Dili kwarta ang atong ihatag, coupons nga inyong ma-redeem sa atong mga partner merchants. And I hope that this will help you, makatabang og pagpalambo pagsamot sa inyong tagsa-tagsa ka negosyo kay ang Sugbo Negosyo program, programa sa Sugbo, alang sa mga Sugbunaon. Tabang gikan sa pagagamhanan sa probinsya sa Sugbo, tabang sa mga Sugbunaon aron ang mga Sugbunaon motabang sa ilang kaugalingon,” Governor Gwendolyn Garcia said in her speech during the awarding ceremonies that was held at the Capitol Social Hall.
(We are not giving out cash prizes, instead you will be getting coupons which you can exchange for products from our partner merchants. I hope this will help you make your businesses progress because Sugbo Negosyo is a program that will benefit Cebu and the Cebuanos. This is aid coming from the province of Cebu, aid for the Cebuanos to make Cebuanos shelp themselves.)
During her speech, Garcia said that Capitol officials, who head the districts where the top 10 winners come from, will also be getting cash aid of P5 million each which they could use to fund infrastructure projects in their localities.
The Sugbo News report said this was Garcia’s way of recognizing the efforts of Vice Governor Hilario Davide III and the Provincial Board Members for helping entrepreneurs in their respective districts grow and to help in the success of the program.
Garcia also promised to release P1 million to the districts where the Top 10 Sugbo Negisyo Champions came from and this will be released through its designated PB members.
Cash aid of P500, 000 will also be given to the districts where the seven most promising entrepreneurs came from.
A total of 41 entrepreneurs joined this year’s expo and the top 10 were selected based on the judging criteria.
The Top 10 entrepreneurs are Francis Rey Bacaldo (Minglanilla), Verliza Rio (Talisay City), Lorenzo Nñal (Alcantara), Lorna Dy (Sogod), Renan Alquisola (Barili), Cosino Organica (Alegria), Lord Alexander dela Rama (Medellin), and Elda Igot (Sogod).
The Top 10 winners will be made to undergo another round of judging to chose the Top 3 entrepreneurs who will be recognized next month.
Davide, for his part, thanked Garcia for her “love and kindness” to the Cebuanos manifested through the implementation of the Capitol’s Sugbo Negosyo and the other programs that are designed to help people overcome the ill effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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