Last year, as part of its celebration for the Sampaguita Festival, the city government of San Pedro, Laguna kicked off a new kind of contest that aims to bring out the creative spirit of the San Pedrense.
Dubbed "Shark Tank San Pedro — Sampaguita Product Business Proposal Competition," the competition seeks entrepreneurs (and wannabe entrepreneurs) who can put a new twist on the city’s traditional product: the sampaguita.
Last year’s “Shark Tank” brought an unprecedentedly positive response among San Pedrenses who presented unheard-of products made from sampaguita.
To recall, entrepreneur Eliel Torres bagged the grand prize with a P25,000 award for his winning product – “Sparkling Sampaguita,” a wine with Sampaguita as the main ingredient.
Jonathan Espinili won second place and P15,000 with his Sampaguita Clear Bar Soap, Czarina G. Martinez followed third place and cash price of P10,000 with her Sampaguita Ganoderma Tea, and finally, Sampaguita Co., an e-commerce for Sampaguita products and services by Mr. LA Tolentino and S-Vone Sampaguita Soap by students from San Lorenzo School were tied for the fourth place and the P5,000.
Other entries were Sampaquito, an insect repellant made by students from PUP San Pedro; Scent Pedro, a scented candle by EarthDrops; Sampaguita Body Oil by Rina Ruth Nunez; and Ceriel Fragrances by Arceli Bajaro.
Bigger prizes
For this year’s Shark Tank, the San Pedro City Tourism, Culture and Arts Office (CTCAO) promises bigger opportunities for entrepreneurs who can pitch the best sampaguita-derived products.
With a grand prize of P100,000 for first place, P50,000 for second place, and P25,000 for third place, this year’s Shark Tank contestants are more than assured of the necessary capital to pursue their goals.
“The Sampaguita Festival Shark Tank competition provides a platform for aspiring entrepreneurs to gain exposure, receive valuable feedback, and potentially secure support to turn their visions into reality, all while celebrating the beauty and culture of the Sampaguita flower,” the local office explained.
"This competition harnesses the essence of the festival by encouraging participants to showcase ideas that not only have commercial potential but also contribute positively to the community or environment."
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