Over a million college students in the country are preparing to face the dreaded ‘real world.’

College students need not wait for graduation. They could begin while still in school—at the same time helping their community—through Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE).

SIFE is the largest university-based, international, non-profit organization founded 1975 in the United States, which aims to mobilize students around the world. Their vision? To “use business as a powerful source of change for their communities,” said SIFE Pilipinas Country Coordinator Annette Manansala-Rafael.

SIFE is currently operating in 41 countries with 1,376 active teams comprising 34,074 students ready to provide sustainable livelihood for communities.

Students in the real world

Rafael said that SIFE allows not only the development of the communities, but also the development of the students’ business skills.

“Their business projects are observed by business leaders around the world and this would provide them not only guidance but potential recruitment,” Rafael said.

Jose Leviste, CEO and chairman of SIFE Pilipinas, said that the students look for corporations to sponsor or fund their projects, like in the real world.

The cliché goes that people should not give fish but to teach people how to fish. This is the philosophy of SIFE.

“The students learn to fish for their own sponsors and they teach the communities how to ‘fish’ and work,” Rafael said.

Students, with the guidance of a SIFE adviser in their university, would submit project proposals to different corporations, have meetings with business leaders and hopefully get funding.

National champion, global competitor

Part of the students’ venture into the real world is when SIFE makes them compete.

“Competition is a fixed item in the real world. It allows students to assess critically their projects and most of all, competition alerts the will of the students,” said Leviste.

SIFE Pilipinas holds a yearly competition wherein active teams from different SIFE-member-universities in the country submit their projects to be judged by business leaders.

This year, 24 teams qualified for the national competition. Business projects qualified should make a positive economic impact in their communities.

The national champion at the competition to be held in the Asian Institute of Management, Manila will represent the country in the SIFE World Cup in Berlin, Germany on October 4-6, 2009.

The students would be judged based on their written annual report, an audio- visual presentation and how successful they were in creating economic opportunities for the less fortunate.

Based on the submitted requirements, business leaders will judge whether they have applied their classroom experiences to develop the communities by teaching them principles of market economics, success skills, entrepreneurship, financial literacy, environmental sustainability and proper business ethics.

Making an impact

San Beda College SIFE team was last year’s national champion under the leadership of James Piscos, now national program director of SIFE Pilipinas.

Piscos said that San Beda’s business projects directly impacted more than 200 beneficiaries.

They started an enviro-livelihood program in Pulilan, Bulacan turning would-be-thrown rice stalks into decorative ornaments.

The SIFE San Beda team taught 39 out-of-school teenagers about the basics of accounting, entrepreneurship and bringing the product to a larger market like Kultura and one of Philippines’ leading shopping centers SM.

“Some of the beneficiaries went back to school because they already have money for tuition and supplies. Some continued working because they enjoy it and could help their families,” said Piscos.

Another program taught special children the basics of segregation, how to count money and use it properly and how to go to the market and buy proper goods. They were able to teach those by simulating a market situation. “The program helped the 30-plus special children to be independent,” Piscos said.

He was also proud of the project to save the “Bakal Boys” of Tondo from their dangerous livelihood—diving into Manila Bay to scavenge for metal scraps.

“It is very dangerous and they are only 10-17 years old,” he said. The SIFE San Beda team looked for education donors but instead stumbled upon a film production company which wanted to do a movie out of their situation. The movie, which will be released soon, will be called, “Bakal Boys.”

The money they made from being in the movie was used for their education. “We cannot make them work, they are minors who should be in school,” Piscos said.

Because of the movie, they have received help from donors who are willing to support for the 20-plus children involved.

In Taytay, Rizal they have helped women who make rugs reach a bigger market. The same goes for inmates in Manila City Jail who make ornaments out of newspapers. Students and alumni who own stores were willing to carry their products.

Aside from opening up to a bigger market, the SIFE team coordinated with San Beda’s pre-law program from the College of Arts and Science to give paralegal services to the inmates. Basic entrepreneurial skills were also enhanced in case the inmates were to be released.

Sustainability and the environment

Leviste said that it is important that SIFE works closely with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). “Environment is one of the keys to sustainability,” he said.

Environment protection and recycling seem to be the themes in the business project entries of the students for this year’s national competition, said Piscos.

Sultan Kudarat Polytechnic State College added wood scraps when making hollow blocks to make them stronger.

Divine Word College taught the Mangyans of Calapan basic and environment-safe farming principles to produce organic rice.

Southville Foreign University taught the handicapped how to tap a bigger market for their paintings. They also conducted baking workshops for public school students and were able to provide them with free space from SM and Alabang Town Center to sell their products.

Cavite State University optimizes the uses of dragon fruits so that farmers would have more products to sell. They are not limited to selling only the fruits, but juice and jellies as well.

Mariano Marcos State University taught women how to make souvenirs out of bamboo scraps and sell them to tourists in Pagudpod.

Pangasinan State University’s project helped fishermen with product innovations for milk fish.

“Although they have different styles this year, you can see that Filipino students are learning a lot from past SIFE national and World Cup winners,” Piscos, who is currently reviewing this year’s entries, said.

Plans

Leviste hopes that with the help of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) next year, more students would be more actively involved.

“With the help of CHED, more SIFE awareness will follow. I hope that the plans for regional campaigns would persuade students into contributing more to their communities,” Leviste said.

SIFE country corodinator Rafael said that with CHED, a more excellent competition would take place because of high regional involvement.

Leviste also hopes that SIFE Pilipinas would be able to host the 2011 World Cup.

“So far, China, Malaysia, Abu Dhabi and the Philippines are bidding to host the World Cup,” said Rafael.

To be de-listed?

Leviste said that they are working twice as hard this year so the plans for SIFE would push through.

“The head office of SIFE told me that SIFE Pilipinas is going to be de-listed,” Leviste said. SIFE Pilipinas had to raise fund, and they did.

“Because of the help of corporations’ corporate social responsibility programs, the Philippines would hopefully not be taken out of the list of SIFE participants,” Leviste said.

Most of the companies helping SIFE Philippines are mining companies, said Leviste who is also the chairman of Oceana gold Mining Corporation. “What can I do, that’s my network. I will get help from people I know,” he said.

Needed: Big universities

Leviste is happy because there is national participation in SIFE competitions. But “the bad news is that big schools are not participating,” Leviste added.

The leading schools in the country belonging to Universities Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) and National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) are not active. “They have to participate, I know they will make a positive impact and be a good model for SIFE Pilipinas,” Leviste added.

FilOil Flying V CEO Raffy Villavicencio said that they are willing to give free exposure for SIFE Philippines.

The Filoil Flying V tournament named its championship trophy the Manny V. Pangilinan Cup, in honor of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas president who is also chairman of Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co.

The tournament is heavily watched nationwide with both NCAA and UAAP teams participating in the basketball and cheerleading event.

They are preparing to name the championship trophy “SIFE Cup,” said Filoil Flying V sports chairman Mandy Ochoa. “This would hopefully help everyone be aware of SIFE and the good it does to a lot of communities.”

“If you really want something to be known you should invest in basketball to win the hearts of the Filipinos,” Ochoa said.

Ochoa said that Filoil Flying V has been an advocate of education and sports for the youth. “We decided to help SIFE because we want to do something radical and with a big reach.”

Filoil Flying V has been assisting the education of their employees’ children. “We should also look at helping locally or internally, but Filoil Flying V wants to inspire and reach out to a global community. We hope to do this through SIFE,” Ochoa said.

“The future of our country lies in the educated youth who will hopefully make better decisions,” Ochoa said.

Rafael agrees. She said that students should start being responsible early not only for themselves but also for their communities.

They should be educated not only in the classrooms but also apply what they learn for the benefit of their countrymen.

“Inculcating of values is important in shaping the leaders of tomorrow. I believe SIFE would train students to help even the most unproductive sectors of the society have a bright future through sustainable livelihood,” Rafael said.