29 September 2026
Benguet State University, through the Office of Student Services (OSS), formally launched the disabilities and other students with special needs opportunities to showcase their products, develop entrepreneurial skills, and gain real-world business experience.
The initiative gathered BSU, the Department of Trade and Industry Benguet (DTI-Benguet), and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority Cordillera Administrative Region (TESDA-CAR) in promoting inclusive entrepreneurship among students under the theme “A Space to Grow, A Platform to Shine.”
Special Assistant to the VP for Academic Affairs Marvin Valentin, representing VPAA Janet A. Pablo, welcomed everyone during the launch.
“The true measure of inclusion is not simply opening doors, but creating opportunities for every person to walk through them, discover their strengths, and thrive,” Valentin said.
He emphasized that the ADUYON Store is more than a physical space for selling products, providing an opportunity for students to gain confidence in entrepreneurship.
“To our students, especially our learners with special needs, this is your space. Create, try, learn, sell, grow, and never underestimate what your hands, your minds, and your hearts can accomplish,” he said.
Valentin also described the name ADUYON as a reminder of shared responsibility and collective support. He expressed hope that the initiative would become a lasting commitment to inclusion, where abilities are recognized, dignity is upheld, and opportunities are created for every learner. He likewise thanked BSU’s partner agencies and staff for helping transform inclusion from an idea into a lived experience.
In his message, VP for Business Affairs Josel M. Florentin underscored the Filipino value of bayanihan as the foundation of the ADUYON initiative.
Florentin explained that aduyon reflects the tradition of people helping one another and growing together as a community. He linked this principle to the support the program provides to student entrepreneurs.
He encouraged participating students to use the opportunity to learn, gain experience, and develop the skills they need to start their own businesses.
“This opportunity is only the first step toward your journey as successful entrepreneurs,” Florentin said.
Using the honeybee colony as an analogy, Florentin noted that every bee has a specific role and responsibility, yet all bees work toward the success and survival of the colony. He encouraged the students to similarly recognize their roles, responsibilities, and contributions within the ADUYON community.
He further stressed the importance of sustainability, hoping the ADUYON Store would become a permanent program that would continue benefiting students beyond the initial period of support.
Florentin also cited the principle of teaching people how to become self-sufficient rather than simply providing temporary assistance. In the context of ADUYON, he said the program should equip students with the knowledge and skills to eventually stand on their own, establish their businesses, and create opportunities for others.
Closing the program, OSS Director Erlyn Honeylette C. Marquez thanked the participants, partners, and students for their active involvement and commitment to the initiative.
Marquez emphasized that the ADUYON Store should serve as an avenue for students to develop their skills, grow personally, and strengthen their entrepreneurial capabilities.
She also encouraged the student entrepreneurs to prepare for the transition toward greater independence after the initial six-month support period.
“This ADUYON program is more than just a store but is a platform where every ability matters, every product tells a story, and every learner has a place to shine,” Marquez said
As part of the succeeding activities, Marquez shared that DTI is expected to conduct a Business Proposal Training to help participating students develop their own business proposals. She urged students to actively participate in the upcoming trainings and prepare realistic and well-developed business proposals aligned with their business needs.
Through collaboration among BSU, its students, and partner agencies, the initiative aims to turn opportunities into skills, skills into sustainable enterprises, and entrepreneurial success into opportunities that can be shared with the wider community.//NSudaypan, EBawang
