SOME people are content being average. There are also those who want to make a difference in the world they live in; who want to make their lives count — they are people who are committed to serve others through their talents and abilities.
Such is Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino, who has made it his mission to build a community of Happy Pinoys, through his very successful and multi-awarded Hapinoy Program.
The 35-year-old Aquino already made an impact in the world when he received an award for his efforts on November 20 in Taipei, Taiwan. Aquino was chosen as one of the 2012 Ten Outstanding Young Persons of the World (TOYP), an annual search by the Junior Chamber International (JCI) — also known as the Jaycees.
JCI acknowledged that Aquino’s accomplishments through innovation and service exemplify the spirit of the JCI Mission. After more than 15,000 votes were cast and the judging panel reviewed the finalists, “ten young active citizens were selected for their exemplary service to their communities and the world”. Two Filipinos made it to the Top 10- “Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV, president of MicroVentures, a social enterprise known for the multi-award-winning program Hapinoy; and Dr. Edsel Maurice Salvaña, Assistant Director of the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology at the National Institutes of Health, University of the Philippines Manila, for his work with HIV/AIDS patients in the Philippines.”
JCI honored Bam Aquino for his business, economic and entrepreneurial accomplishment. In their website, JCI stated that Aquino, having been “exposed to the struggles of his countrymen as a child, developed a sense of hard work, compassion and a desire to help people help themselves out of hardship. He set out to use his leadership skills and education to take action at the grassroots level. Aquino and a friend founded Microventures Inc., a social enterprise supporting micro-financing institutions to provide business development opportunities for the poor, with a special focus on underprivileged women.”
“Napakalaking karangalan po na makabilang sa natatanging grupong ito. Ang ating mga kapwa kabataan mula sa iba’t-ibang bahagi ng mundo ang nagpapanalo sa atin at kay Dr. Edsel, at ipinakita nila ang kanilang tiwala sa kakayahan ng mga Pilipino. Ang buhay ng isang social entrepreneur ay hindi madali, pero paminsan-paminsan ‘pag merong ganitong pagkilala, gumagaan nang konti ang pasanin,” said Aquino.
“This award is dedicated to my co-founders at Hapinoy and other Filipino social entrepreneurs, the numerous youth groups that remain silent in their service and continue to inspire and, of course, ang aking mga bayani, ang mga Nanays ng Hapinoy,” said Aquino. “This award is a validation of our work and a needed pat on the back. It means for us to go on and keep fighting, not to rest on our laurels,” he added.
Destined for greatness
This was not the first award for Bam Aquino. In fact, he seems to be destined for greatness, receiving honors and awards since he was a child. The son of Melanie Aguirre and Paul Aquino, the youngest brother of the late Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino, Jr, Bam (named after the character “Bambam” in Pebbles and Bambam) was born May 7,1977.
Even as a young boy, Bam has displayed a love for country as he delivered mini-speeches in the rallies of the opposition against the Marcos government. Though he could not remember his Uncle Ninoy anymore, he is said to have watched all the tapes, listened to radio interviews and read everything he could about Ninoy, imbibing his sense of patriotism.
Bam graduated valedictorian of his grade school and high school classes in Ateneo de Manila. He then took up BSC in Management Engineering from Ateneo de Manila University, where he became university student council president and graduated summa cum laude in 1999.
He then worked in the special projects group of ABS-CBN Foundation. He also became a TV host, featured in youth-oriented shows on Studio 23’s Y-Speak and Breakfast then later on in ANC’s entrepreneurship show Start-Up.
In 2001, Bam Aquino was appointed as commissioner-at-large to the Philippines National Youth Commission (NYC), the sole national policy-making and coordinating body on youth affairs in the country. In February 2003, Aquino was promoted to chairperson of the NYC, becoming the youngest person in Philippine history to head a government agency at the age of 25.
In late 2006, Bam, together with his friend and business partner, Mark Ruiz, co-founded MicroVentures, Inc., a social enterprise that supports micro-financing institutions to provide business development opportunities for the poor. They established the Hapinoy Program, that would help thousands of female micro-entrepreneurs secure better incomes for their families. Hapinoy offers an innovative twist on the sari-sari store concept to help poor nanays gain cheaper access to goods, training and support systems.
With his passion to help the needy, Bam joined the board of Rags2Riches, Inc., in 2007 which helps underprivileged women with their livelihood.
Aquino and his business partner, Mark Ruiz, were among the finalists of the 2010 Ernst and Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year Award. He was also awarded as one of the PLDT SME Bossings and GoNegosyo’s Inspiring Young Entrepreneurs for their work in the Hapinoy Program.
That same year, Aquino was chosen as one of the Ten Outstanding Young Men of the Philippines (TOYM) in the category Social Enterprise and Community Development that year.
In 2011, the Hapinoy Program won the UN’s Project Inspire Award, besting over 400 social enterprises from all over the world. Again with business partner, Mark Ruiz, Bam was named as the Asian Social Entrepreneur of the Year by the World Economic Forum’s Schwab Foundation for Social Enterprises.
This year, 2012, Aquino represented the country as a panelist at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. He was awarded as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum and was chosen to be part of Asia Society’s pioneer batch of Asia 21 Fellows.
Bam is also the current President of the TAYO (Ten Accomplished Youth Organizations) Awards Foundation, the country’s premier youth award-giving body for youth organizations.
Newly married to Mary Fatima “Timi” Gomez, Bam also starred as his uncle, Ninoy Aquino, in the August 2009 documentary-film “The Last Journey of Ninoy.”
Transforming lives
More than all the accolades and awards he has received, what gives Bam the greatest satisfaction is knowing how his Hapinoy Program has been changing the lives of countless “Nanays” and transforming them into happy Pinoys.
One such Nanay is Josephine Villasin, who shared her story, Ang Aking Hapinoy Kwento in the program’s website. “Bago ako naging ka-HAPINOY, nagtitinda lang ako ng niyog at konting gulay-gulay noon. Masaya na akong kumita ng sapat sa araw-araw.”
After joining the Hapinoy Program, Josephine’s life changed. “Malaking pagbabago ang naranasan ko mula noong ako’y maging member nito. Una, nagkaroon ako ng dagdag-puhunan upang makapagbukas ng sari-sari store. Kung noon ay may benta ako na P300-700 per day sa aking mga niyog at gulay-gulay, ngayon sa aking Hapinoy store mayroon akong average daily sales na Php5,000 at mayroon akong 20-30 suki stores. Pangalawa, nagkaroon ako ng mas malinaw na kaalaman kung paano patatakbuhin ang aking tindahan ng maayos. Natuto din ako ng mga diskarteng nakatulong sa aking paglago. Pangatlo, natuto akong mangarap at bumuo ng mga plano kung paano ito maaabot. At naramdaman ko na kaya ko din pala na marating ang kaunlaran at kasaganahan na nakamit ng ibang Community Stores ng Bondoc Peninsula. Nagsilbi silang inspirasyon ko upang lalong magsumikap sa aking pagnenegosyo. Pang-apat, nakakaramdam ako ng kasiyahan sa tuwing makakasama ko sa CS Meeting ang aking mga Ka-Hapinoy. Doon buo ang suporta namin sa isa’t isa. Panglima at pinakaimportante sa lahat, sa Samahan Hapinoy, hindi lang ang negosyo ko ang umunlad kundi maging ang aking pagkatao. Mas nakilala ko ang aking sarili at mga kakayahan dahil sa mga meetings at seminars na ibinibigay. Ako ay mas naging confident bilang isang babaeng negosyante. At higit sa lahat, pinalawak nila ang aking kaisipan sa iba’t iba aspeto ng aking buhay,” narrated Hapinoy Nanay Josephine.
Author Robert Heinlein once said, ” Love is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own”. Bam Aquino has displayed this in his life, making it his calling to help make his countrymen happy through his service.
During his wedding a few months ago, he reaffirmed this commitment to service. “We hope to raise a loving family, but keep on being outward-orientated. We hope our lives will always be filled with love and laughter as we both pursue our goals and dreams for ourselves and for our countrymen,” said Bam Aquino.
(balikbayanmag.com)
(LA Weekend November 24-27 2012 Sec. A pg.10)
