THREE companies from the Philippines were recognized by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Business Advisory Council (Asean BAC) at the Asean Business Awards 2024 for their outstanding contribution to the advancement of the business environment in the region, Go Negosyo founder Jose Maria Concepcion III said Thursday.
The Coolaire Consolidated Inc., Lionheart Farms Phils., and Melts Corp. were among the 24 winners, besting 164 entries from the region.
Concepcion said the awards were given at a gala dinner during the Asean Business and Investment Summit in Vientiane, Laos, on Oct. 9, 2024.
WINNERS President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Asean Business Advisory Council Philippines chairman Jose Maria ‘Joey’ Concepcion III (4th and 3rd from left, respectively) join Asean Business Awards winners Lennard Jan Ponce of Melts Corp., Christian Moeller of Lionheart Farms Phils., and Joel and Patrick Tugade of Coolaire Consolidated (leftmost, 5th, 6th and 7th from left, respectively) along with ABAC’s George Barcelon (2nd from left) and Mike Tan (right). CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
“The abundance of excellent examples among Asean companies just shows how much we can learn from each other in the region,” he said in a statement.
Concepcion said that the Philippines is preparing for the Asean in 2026 with a legacy project called the Asean Food Security Alliance to mark its upcoming chairmanship.
“When we cooperate and share best practices within the Asean, we can be self-sufficient, food-secure and achieve scale,” he said.
The Asean Business Awards is given out by the Asean BAC to recognize Asean business enterprises and individuals who drive growth through connectivity and resilience, as well as those who prioritize sustainability in their operations.
Coolaire won in the Family Business category, Lionheart in the SME Priority Integration (Agriculture/Agri-Food Based) category, while Melts won in the SME Outstanding Excellence (Growth) category.
Coolaire supplies refrigerated vans and cold storage solutions, Lionheart Farms is a pioneering agricultural enterprise dedicated to sustainable and innovative coconut farming, while Melts is a small company that makes premium cassava cakes.
Concepcion said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. congratulated Coolaire President Joel Tugade, Lionheart Farms founders Christian Moeller and Cecilia Chang, and Melts President Lennard Jan Ponce when he met them during his speaking engagement at the Asean summit.
The Asean Business Awards was launched in 2007 on the Asean’s 40th anniversary and recognizes both enterprises as well as individuals. Special awards were given in the Women Entrepreneur, Young Entrepreneur, Friends of Asean, Green Enterprise, Sustainable Social Enterprise Family Business, and Skills Development categories.
For 13 years, the Asean Business Awards has been creating opportunities for businesses to reaffirm their position among industry peers, advance their competitiveness and integration, and enhance their brands on a global level.
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