On January 22, 2008, more than 300 people attended the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) 37th Annual Membership Meeting and Foundation Day Celebration at the Grand Ballroom of the Renaissance Hotel, Makati City, Philippines. The event marked a significant milestone in CESO's and PBSP's work nurturing enterprises and transforming communities in the Philippines.
Attendees included Canadian Ambassador to the Philippines Robert Desjardins, and CESO President Paul Van der Wel as well as representatives of PBSP member companies, partners, donors, local and national government officials, and dignitaries.
The highlight of the event was the turnover of the CESO Business Advisory Program (CESO-BAP) to PBSP. Modeled after CESO's Business Advisory Program with funding support from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), BAP was established within PBSP in 2003. In localizing the Canadian experience, Filipino micro and small enterprises now have access to Filipino volunteer expert advisers.
Through the turnover to PBSP-BAP, CESO and CIDA are ensuring that the objective of increasing the operating effectiveness of micro and small enterprises, thereby creating jobs and improving livelihoods, will be met beyond CIDA's funding support. The successful turnover illustrates CESO's longstanding commitment to ensuring sustainability in all of its CIDA funded programs.
For more information about CESO's programs in the Philippines, please contact:
Gale Arlene Lee Program Manager, Asia 416-961-2376 Ext. 231 glee@ceso-saco.com
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