MANILA -- Students were urged to be learn about entrepreneurship at an early age at the "Youthpreneur" summit in Pasig organized by Go Negosyo and the Department of Education.

Hundreds of senior high school learners of Rizal High School met with business owners who acted as their mentors, teaching them how to start a business and how to sustain and expand it.

Students also asked questions to help them gain knowledge on how to be an entrepreneur.

Go Negosyo founder Joey Concepcion said kids should be taught how to be entrepreneurs because it helps them and the country as well.

He said that in other countries, small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) are strong and the Philippines needs to replicate it.

“The only way to lift the economy is to teach our young kids to be enterprising, whether what I’m calling entrepreneurial which is working for somebody in a company but being business-minded, or becoming a negosyante,” he said.

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Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte said the young students need the help of mentors to create a culture of innovation in the country. 

“We need to maximize their potential to help our senior high school learners match their skills and competencies in attaining their future roles in society.”

The Vice President also said that employees should not rely solely on their salary.

“Paano natin palaguin, paramihin ang pera natin doon sa negosyo? Hindi madali ang mag negosyo. Kailan matuto tayo mag negosyo. Kailangan matuto tayo paano natin padamihin itong sweldo ko,” said Duterte.

(How do grow your money in a business? It’s not easy to run a business. We need to learn how to become an entrepreneur and we need to grow our salary.)

Concepcion added that one way to help students now is to use social media to their advantage to earn money from it. He cited many social media personalities and so-called "influencers" who earned big just with the help of social media.

“You’re learning marketing, you’re learning how to position yourself. When you have a business and you are a content creator or influencer, malaking bagay, malaking savings na yan. Ikaw mismo selling, ikaw mismo nagpro-promote (that's a big deal, you're making big savings if you are selling or promoting your product yourself),” said Concepcion.

The ‘Youthpreneur’ summit is being held regularly in different campuses across the country. Go Negosyo will hold various similar summits in the coming months to entice more Filipinos to start a business, and start it properly.