Talk ‘N Text, through its Tipid-Sulit Pinas! advocacy campaign, has partnered with this year’s Business in Development (BiD) Challenge Philippines in an effort to encourage as many Filipinos as possible to use the unique Pinoy strategy called diskarteng tipid-sulit to cope with the difficult times. This strategy is borne out of Filipinos’ innate ingenuity, resourcefulness, and perseverance as they try to make the most out of available resources.

The BiD Challenge Philippines is an offshoot of the international BiD Challenge initiated in 2004 in The Netherlands by the Dutch National Committee for International Cooperation (NCDO). It is a worldwide business plan competition that gives promising entrepreneurs access to potential markets, additional knowledge to grow their enterprise, and financial support to start and sustain operations. Here in the Philippines, the organizing partner is the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP). A private and non-profit organization of businesses committed to promote social development, PBSP is also a mover of the Tipid-Sulit Pinas! campaign.

The advocacy campaign will support 10 finalists in the BiD Challenge whose entries embody the diskarteng tipid-sulit. The 10 will be named Talk ‘N Text Tipid-Sulit winners and given training and funding, among others.

All aspiring Filipino entrepreneurs are encouraged to submit their business ideas through BiD Challenge Philippines which will, in turn, provide professional coaches who will guide them in putting these ideas to feasibility and sustainability. To qualify, business plans must meet the “triple bottom line”: profitability, social relevance, and environmental benefits.

Those who want to be part of Tipid-Sulit Pinas! can register to Gaantext 10 by texting GT10 to 8855. For every registration, Talk ‘N Text will make a donation to the advocacy fund. Interested parties can also make a direct donation via 8855; or download the Tipid-Sulit Pinas! logo or a Tipid-Sulit tip also via 8855. For more details, visit www.tipidsulitpinas.com.

The Philippines has so far produced 18 local competition winners and 4 international winners since 2005. One of the winners, Rags2Riches, is a current partner of Tipid-Sulit Pinas! as the advocacy recognizes this inspiring and world-class example of the madiskarteng Pinoy. Winning over 105 other entries last year, Fr. Xavier Alpasa of Rags2Riches was sent to Amsterdam, The Netherlands, to receive the top prize amounting to 20,000 euros or over P1 M. Rags2Riches was conceptualized
to transform scrap cloth into bags designed by renowned Filipino designers Rajo Laurel and Amina Aranaz. The bags are produced by women living in the Payatas dumpsite in Quezon City. Today, the women-weavers are earning enough to sustain their families.

Organizers are optimistic that this year’s BiD Challenge will attract more Filipinos who are bound to gain from more job opportunities, as well as entrepreneurs who stand the chance of building a network of financiers to help turn their plans to reality.