Cherrie Atilano, founder and CEO of AGREA Agricultural Systems International Inc., and Juca Lacsina, co-founder and CEO of GOEden (Zion Agricultural Services Inc.), received the prestigious award on Aug. 4 at the Manila Polo Club, Makati City.
The awards, named after Filipino industrialist and PHINMA founder Ambassador Ramon V. del Rosario Sr., honor young entrepreneurs whose businesses create meaningful impact in their industries and communities.
Atilano’s decade of agricultural empowerment
Atilano has spent more than 10 years advancing her mission to make farming inclusive, sustainable, and profitable. Under her leadership, AGREA has empowered over 30,000 farmers, rescued 200,000 kilograms of produce, and raised incomes through its mix of for-profit and nonprofit ventures.
She also launched the AGREA Farm School and the Women Food Producers Association, pushing for food security, environmental stewardship, and women’s leadership in agriculture.
Atilano has been globally recognized as a UN Food Systems Champion and a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader.
“We’ve witnessed this transformation firsthand,” Atilano said. “Women who once saw themselves as ‘just housewives’ now lead with pride… Farmers who once said ‘magsasaka lang ako’ (I’m just a farmer) now build homes from their harvest, understanding that they are… the richest guardians of our nation’s future.”
Lacsina’s digital platform for farmers
Lacsina’s GOEden has redefined the agricultural supply chain since its founding in 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The digital platform connects farmers—especially in remote areas—to more than 4,000 products from over 65 suppliers.
Her leadership also introduced custom-built e-commerce tools and on-the-ground Tech Caravans, improving logistics, ensuring authenticity of inputs, and training farmers in proper use of agricultural products.
“We’re fostering a new narrative where rural communities aren’t just beneficiaries of technology, but partners in progress,” Lacsina said. “Ethical entrepreneurship isn’t the easy path, but it’s the only path that leads to lasting change and genuine nation-building.”
Awards that inspire future leaders
The RVR SIKLAB Awards are organized by PHINMA Corp. and the De La Salle University (DLSU) Ramon V. del Rosario College of Business, through its PHINMA-DLSU Center for Business and Society. Awardees serve as living case studies for teaching students how business can drive social good.
“The entrepreneurs we celebrate are not just building businesses; they are building a better Philippines,” said PHINMA chair and CEO Ramon R. del Rosario Jr.
DLSU president Br. Bernie Oca FSC added:
“Let us pledge to support one another… and create a community where every young Filipino has the opportunity to pursue their dreams while serving the greater good.”
The big picture
The recognition of Atilano and Lacsina highlights how Philippine agripreneurs are shaping a more inclusive and sustainable agricultural landscape.
By combining digital innovation, ethical entrepreneurship, and community empowerment, they are redefining farming as a force for progress. —Ed: Corrie S. Narisma
