VILLAR TO AWARD FILIPINO TECHNOPRENEURS

Senate President Manny Villar, President of the Nacionalista Party, will award ten outstanding Filipino technopreneurs, who serve as inspiration to budding entrepreneurs, tomorrow (September 14) at the TechnoNegosyo Expo at the World Trade Center organized by the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship. Villar, who is an outspoken proponent of entrepreneurship, says: "The 'technopreneurs' who will be awarded truly serve as good role models to the Filipino youth. I have always maintained that entrepreneurship is the key to solving our country's problems particular in the labor and employment front." "A viable long-term solution to the unemployment and underemployment situation is to encourage more entrepreneurs from among our people, especially the new graduates. We need more job providers. New generation of entrepreneurs can create jobs for more Filipinos," adds Villar, also known as Mr. Sipag at Tiyaga (hardwork and persistence) .

The technopreneurs who will be awarded in tomorrow's event are Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, Ayala Corp.; Ben & Nonoy Colayco, Level Up; Doy Vea, Media Quest Holding; Bill Torres, MozCom; Danny Manayaga, Secura; Dindo Banataw, FilWood Ventures; Joey Gorangco, Webworks; Peter Valdez, VintoSoft; Dennis Mendiola, Chikka; and Manny Pangilinan, Smart.

Villar is also proposing the teaching of entrepreneurship in schools. According to Villar, "Entrepreneurial education infused in our school system would remove the old archetype of Philippine schools preparing students to be employees. Entrepreneurial education should start at the earliest level. I believe that entrepreneurs are made, not born. Thus we should start them young."