President David (center) with other judges of the Young Entrepreneurs Award (l to r): HSBC president & CEO Mark Watkinson, Ayala Corporation chairman Jaime Augusto Zobel, Asian Institute of Management president Francis Estrada, Pacific Landco president & CEO Alfred Xerez-Burgos, and SGV & Co. chairman David Balangue.

President David joined several distinguished names in the business sector in the panel of judges of the recent Young Entrepreneurs Award. Backed by HSBC, the Young Entrepreneurs Awards is a business plan writing competition that provides opportunities for Filipino university students to demonstrate their creativity and acquire practical business knowledge. It also aims to cultivate and inspire young people’s interest in entrepreneurship. The panel of judges included SGV& Co. chairman David Balangue, JG Summit Holdings president Lance Gokongwei, Ayala Corporation chairman Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, and Philippine Daily Inquirer president Sandy Prieto-Romualdez.

Copping the top prize was Team Beleavers for their project Areka leaf tableware made out of fallen leaf spathes of coconut palm trees. It can be used as an alternative to plastic and Styrofoam containers.