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During the 2023 SE Roadmap Council Conference, social enterprise movers, intervenors, and advocates came together to chart direction as a united body for the future of social enterprise in the Philippines.  

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Adding breadth and regional perspective to the discourse were Hong Kong-based Asia Value Advisors (AVA), the Family Office Association of Hong Kong (FOAHK) and the Sasakawa Peace Foundation from Japan. 

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Philo Alto, founder and CEO of AVA, and Angel Chia, Chairperson of FOAHK, shared their experiences in shaping corporate and family philanthropies for more purposeful and sustainable impact. In a separate panel, SPF’s Ayaka Matsuno and Dissa Ahdanisa spoke about their continuing work to empower women entrepreneurs in the Philippines through gender-smart programs and partnerships with Filipino SEs and intervenors. 

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Leveraging regional networks for learning and growth

Building on the connections forged during the Conference, Prof. Jay Bernardo and Prof. Carlo Sagun, Chairman and Vice President, respectively, of the Bayan Family of Foundations (BFF), traveled to Hong Kong in the first quarter of 2024 for a series of learning exchanges with social enterprise and impact investment stakeholders headquartered in Hong Kong. 

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The dialogues were facilitated by AVA, through Philo Alto, and FOAHK, through Angel Chia. In these discussions, Professors Bernardo and Sagun had the opportunity to share the Philippine social enterprise context and the strategies that the SE Roadmap is now employing to advance social entrepreneurship and grow Filipino SEs in scope, size and socio-environmental impact. Likewise, the HK-based community of social impact stakeholders shared their experiences and ways of working for deeply insightful learning exchanges. 

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Highlights of the impact tour

Our Hong Kong Foundation (OHKF) hosted a roundtable discussion for BFF with multi-sector stakeholders, including leaders from the Hong Kong Council of Social Services, Hong Kong University, Time Auction, Enrich, Common Purpose, Fair Group, and Pathfinders. This was a welcome space to explore challenges, opportunities and avenues of collaboration between SE ecosystems across the region. 

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A second roundtable was hosted by UBS Hong Kong, bringing together impact investing allies and advocates. The discussion provided a fruitful exchange on the development of impact investing platforms and the access to financial services that could be created for the SE ecosystem, not just in the Philippines but across Asia.

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Prof. Bernardo and Prof. Sagun were also privileged to meet with Social Ventures Hong Kong (SVHK), known for introducing venture philanthropy, as well as incubating SEs in Hong Kong and the RS Group, a pioneer in Hong Kong’s impact investment and philanthropy scene, focusing on nature-based solutions. Furthermore, through FOAHK’s facilitation, Professors Bernardo and Sagun were introduced to Hong Kong’s network of family offices, a key source of best practices and learning as BFF navigates corporate and family philanthropy spaces. 

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Another highlight of the trip was a visit to Cafe 8, a social enterprise that employs persons with learning disabilities, managed by The Nesbitte Centre. This hit close to home as the SE Roadmap recently inked a partnership with the Local Government of Quezon City: Tatak SE, Kabahagi Ka Sa QC, to develop social enterprises for the families of children with disabilities in the city.

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On this front, Prof. Bernardo and Prof. Sagun met with Dr. Surinder Punjya, Executive Director of The Nesbitte Centre, to explore areas of collaboration. The Nesbitte Centre, since 1993, has been empowering individuals with disabilities to live independently by creating inclusive environments in which they can integrate with the community and realize their full potential. BFF hopes to build on these synergies to develop more sustainable, evidence-based initiatives for the SE Roadmap. 

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This trip to Hong Kong was the first of a series of impact tours, through which BFF aims to nurture mutual opportunities for learning and growth between impact-driven communities throughout the region. It will continue strengthening international linkages to propel the SE Roadmap’s reach. Additional highlights recap can be found here from Philo Alto’s LinkedIn post.

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For more information on the National Social Enterprise Development Roadmap, connect with us through collaborate@bayaninnovationgroup.org. 

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