Cebu-based weaving advocacy social enterprise AntHill or Alternative Nest and Trading/Training Hub for Indigenous/Ingenious Little Livelihood seekers is the overall winner of the Developmental Social Enterprise Awards 2016 presented by Isla Lipana & Co., the Philippine member firm of the PwC global network, and Benita & Catalino Yap Foundation.
AntHill was established as a social and cultural enterprise to preserve and promote the rich Philippine weaving culture among younger generations by applying them into contemporary designs. This provides sustainable livelihood for its partner weaving community enterprises.
The finalists are AdvoCafé, which gives indigenous peoples access to sustainable livelihood program, education and governance system; Bag943, designer, maker and seller of good quality backpacks for the benefit of poor schoolchildren; Bayanibrew, maker of ready-to-drink iced teas that are naturally brewed using indigenous crops sourced from organic farming communities; and Sentro Ha Pagpauswag Ha Panginabuhin Inc., whose seaweeds ventures help Samar’s rural communities diversify their livelihoods and increase their income.
These Filipino enterprises committed to social objectives through received the awards in a ceremony at Club Filipino in Greenhills, San Juan City.
In its second year, the DSE Awards cites enterprises embodying the values of citizenship, sustainability and social responsibility, as well as those that put central importance on human dignity.
“We at PwC pay tribute to social enterprises as key contributors to society and the economy. It makes sense for us to use our skills, experience and relationships to support these enterprises. And we’re started that with the first DSEA winner and finalists, and will continue with this year’s honorees,” says Alexander Cabrera, chairman and senior partner of Isla Lipana & Co.
Antonio Yap, chairman of BCY Foundation says the search for deserving social enterprises has been successful. “Those that joined DSEA 2016 are a very impressive lot and we would like to think that social enterprises today have become more conscious on the importance of having good business practices while doing social good,” Yap says.
