BLIND ENTREPRENEUR

Go Negosyo awards blind entrepreneur, 8 others

Cebu Daily News First Posted 09:01:00 06/21/2008 Filed Under: Small Business
A VISUALLY-impaired entrepreneur from Manila and eight Cebuanos received Go Negosyo awards for overcoming obstacles and venturing into business.
Marx Melencio, proprietor of the Grayscale Business Management and Consultancy Services, became blind after he was shot twice in 2003. His physical disability did not stop him from completing his studies and going into business.
Melencio started his outsourcing business with only four employees. Now, he provides employment for 89 workers, 14 of them blind and 13 wheelchair-bound.
During the Go Negosyo forum held yesterday at the Cebu International Convention Center, the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship (PCE) gave Melencio the Most Inspiring Entrepreneurship Award in recognition for his unwavering optimism and hard work.
During the same forum, Cebuano entrepreneurs were given awards.
The awardees included Imelda Alinsonorin, a chicken dealer and proprietor of a general merchandise store; Rey Calooy, for laying the foundations for RNC Marketing Philippines which produces product innovations such as ginger tea, squash noodles and laundry soap from used oil; Lady Canonigo, who has an egg-trading and fish vending business; Cecilia Cañalita, a proprietor of a merchandise store and hog raiser; Saturnina Diez, who is engaged in vegetable farming and trading; Darliza Perez, proprietor of Nicole’s Delight bakery; Heidi Ragas, who rebuilt a bakeshop that now earns P200,000 a month while giving jobs to the unemployed and working students; and Cherry Yack Sr., who owns Cherrie's Cassava and Banana Cake.
The PCE and the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry organized the Go Negosyo sa Cebu Caravan for the second year as part of the celebration of Cebu Business Month.
The event gathered 2,000 participants, mostly college and highschool students, and about 300 micro entrepreneurs.
Go Negosyo sa Cebu co-chairman Jay Aldeguer stressed the importance of targeting the youth in changing the culture of entrepreneurship.
He noted that students, even those taking up business courses, usually prefer employment than setting up a business after graduation.
Go Negosyo aims to change this mindset, Aldeguer said.
“I think that is what Go Negosyo has achieved,” Aldeguer said. Correspondent Ara Chawdhury