Entrepreneurship stalwart Jose Ma. “Joey” A. Concepcion III was named Arangkada Philippines Lifetime Achievement awardee for 2021 in recognition of his significant contribution to improving the country’s business environment.
The Joint Foreign Chambers (JFC) held the awarding ceremony on Wednesday, Dec. 1 as part of the official program of the two-day virtual Arangkada Philippines Forum with the theme “Pathways to a Better Future.”
Concepcion was chosen for his invaluable contributions in promoting inclusive economic growth by advancing the development of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the Philippines and his exemplary leadership in helping local businesses cope with and recover from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Arangkada Lifetime Achievement Award is given by the members of the JFC for individuals of any nationality resident in the Philippines who have contributed significantly to improving the country’s business environment. The Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship and founder of Go Negosyo is the eighth recipient of the award.
As Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship, Concepcion spearheaded the implementation of a “vaccine bubble” initiative, which sought to ease mobility restrictions for fully inoculated individuals in a bid to safely reopen the economy.
Over a decade ago, Concepcion founded Go Negosyo, the advocacy arm of the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship, in an effort to empower the Filipino entrepreneurial and innovative mindset through mentorship and entrepreneurship education for MSMEs.
Previous Arangkada Lifetime Achievement Awardees include Peter Wallace, Honorary Chairman of the Australian-New Zealand Chamber of Commerce (2020); former DFA Secretary Delia D. Albert (2019); the late Sen. Edgardo J. Angara (2018); former BSP Governor Amando M. Tetangco Jr (2017); former DFA Secretary Roberto R. Romulo (2016); Washington Z. Sycip, founder of SGV (2015); former PEZA Director-General Lilia de Lima, (2014); and Fidel V. Ramos, former president of the Republic of the Philippines (2013).
The Arangkada Forum is an initiative of the JFC that provides a platform for collaborative engagement among business leaders, industry experts, and representatives from the public sector, the diplomatic community, and the media. In 2010, the JFC published Arangkada Philippines, an advocacy paper promoting seven sectors with high growth potential: agribusiness, IT-BPM, creative industries, infrastructure, manufacturing and logistics, mining, and tourism, with recommendations to build a more competitive Philippine economy.
The JFC is a coalition of the American, Australian-New Zealand, Canadian, European, Japanese, and Korean chambers and the PAMURI. They support and promote open international trade, increased foreign investment, and improved conditions for business to benefit both the Philippines and the countries the JFC members represent.