The Junior Achievement of the Philippines, Inc. (JAPI) will hold the 21st Junior Achievement Golf Classic on March 5 at the Canlubang Golf and Country Club in Laguna. The sports event aims to raise funds for JAPI’s programs on entrepreneurship and youth development.

The Golf Classic is a way for companies and potential donors to learn more about the organization and its programs under a more relaxed environment. With some of the leaders in the business community in attendance, the event promises to be a day of recreation, networking and CSR (corporate social responsibility).

“Being business executives ourselves, the board knows how tiring the week can be for people. Our colleagues do not need to sit in another boring presentation. Besides, donations to JAPI are tax-deductible so there isn’t even any need to convince people to join. We’re just going to be there to network and have fun,” says Gerald Sanvictores of SGV & Co.

JAPI is a SEC-registered, non-stock and non-profit organization that has been giving students opportunities to learn about entrepreneurship and manage a business through a mentorship program. After a series of seminars and workshops, program participants will be asked to create a mini-company, which they will manage under the guidance of leaders in the industry. To date, JAPI has helped more than 50,000 Filipino students start their own business even while in school. In fact, JAPI has produced a number of young entrepreneurs who have contributed much to the country’s economic progress.

“Entrepreneurship is the lifeblood of a country’s economy. It does not only help in creating jobs but also instills in people self-sufficiency and responsibility. I think that pinoys have all the qualities that entrepreneurs should have: skill and talent, persistence and diskarte. All they need is the right guidance. It’s high time that we give young people a different mindset: not of getting a job when they graduate but on creating the job for others,” says Mr. Ernesto Alberto, JAPI President and Senior Vice President for Customer Sales and Marketing Group of PLDT

The golf event is spearheaded by JAPI’s trustees: Ernesto Alberto of PLDT; Enrique Umali of Energizer; Geronimo Latinazo of EMC; Gerard Sanvictores of SGV; Angelito Gabriel of Isla Lipana; Laura G. T. Lariosa of Nortel; Gil Chua of DDB Philippines; George Macasero of Entrepreneur Society of the Philippines; Stephen Thomas Misa of Cisco; Danilo Mojica of Smart Communications; Siripong Phoungpaka of PTT Philippines; Eric Recto and Marilou Erni of Petron Corporation; William Schultz of Coca Cola; and Ernst Wanten of Total Petroleum Corporation.

For details of the event, please contact 848-10-44 to 45. Companies who are interested to sponsor JAPI’s entrepreneurship programs can contact Mr. Krishna Alejandrino,-JAPI Executive Director at 856-66-39.