Students act as spectators to competition

By Dhen Generalao

Grand champions Mariano Marcos State University celebrates their fourth championship

Three Mass Communication students of the University of the Philippines (UP) Cebu with a faculty adviser went to Manila last July 26  to witness a competition participated by twelve schools all over the country.

Rejzl Awit, Wynonah Buot and Isan de Jesus were sent as spectators of the competition that was held at the Mall of Asia SMX Convention Center in Pasay City. 

Faculty adviser, Gregg Lloren said that witnessing the competition gave the participants an idea of how to build the community through entrepreneural projects. “We hope that by next year, the school will be able to send out participants to join the competition.”

The competition was facilitated by Enactus, an international non-profit organization that aims to enable progress through entrepreneural actions by uniting the different sectors in the society. Aside from participating schools, 39 other schools from all over the country like the Ateneo de Manila University, University of the Philippines Manila and Cebu, and the University pf Cebu graced the event as spectators. 

The competiotion was ushered with a welcome remarks from newly elected Sen. Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino. In Sen. Aquino’s speech, he encouraged the youths to be proactive in activities that help the society. “I see in you hope that is active and alive. It is not easy to push for change, but it is possible.”

From 12 participating schools, participants from the Divine Word College of Calapan, Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU), Sultan Kudarat State University-Isulan Campus and Sultan Kudarat State University-Tacurong Campus made it to the top four. 

Other schools who participated were the Adamson University, Baliuag University, Columban University, Lyceum Northwestern University, Nueva Vizcaya State University, Holy Trinity College of General Santos City, Pangasinan State University, and University of Antique.

Among the four finalists, MMSU’s project on transforming lives and empowering women and saving mother Earth through investing on dragon fruits scored the highest, making them champions of the competition Sultan Kudarat State University – Isulan Campus came in second place while Sultan Kudarat State University Tacurong Campus came in third and Divine Word College of Calapan finished in fourth place. 

MMSU’s project proposal will be presented in the international competition, which will be held in Mexico on September 29 to October 2. 

“We are hoping that more schools will join us next year to extend our cause to the different communities in the Philippines,” said Jose Leviste Jr., chief operating officer of Enactus.