BOHOLANA Dalareich Polot, general manager of Dalareich Tableya, has won in the worldwide search for Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) Business Efficiency and Success Target (Best) Award for best family business support during the Women and the Economy Forum in La Serena, Chile.
In a statement Saturday, Oct. 5, 2019, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said Polot’s business model presentation was done via Skype, where she was competing with nominees from 21 other Apec economies.
The award was received by DTI 7 Director Aster Caberte, who represented the trade agency in the Apec Ministerial Meeting from Oct. 2 to 9, 2019.
In her presentation, Polot narrated her romance with cacao and highlighted how her passion for “tableya” has developed over the years beginning when she was a kid.
Polot, who is billed as Bohol’s chocolate princess, had a big break in her chocolate journey when she joined the Young Entrepreneurs Bootcamp in Manila in 2013, which was sponsored by the Samahan ng mga Pilipina sa Reporma at Kaunlaran (Spark!) and the United States Embassy, where she emerged as the grand prize winner and received US$5,000 and a trophy.
She is currently the chair of the Bohol Cacao Development Council.
Apec’s Best Award includes seven categories, including the grand prix, highest growth potential, international attractiveness, best social impact, the fourth industrial revolution project and two new important nominations: the best family business support and the best top manager, which were launched this year.
Best Award
The Best Award is a collection of women entrepreneurship best practices in the Asia-Pacific region.
The contest was initiated and conducted by Russia in 2016 and boosts women’s entrepreneurship and inclusive growth.
Women-owned enterprises account for only 38 percent of formal-sector small businesses even though they are the most effective drivers for economic growth in the Apec region.
The winners are a diverse group of effective entrepreneurs, innovators and managers.
The 2019 grand prix winner Ekaterina Postoeva of Russia won the top prize for Apec Best Award and Mingkyung Park of Korea won the new category of Best Top Manager.
“Inclusive growth is the goal of the Best Award,” said Carolina Cuevas, undersecretary of Chile’s Ministry of Women and Gender Equity and 2019 chairperson of the partnership, in a statement.
“We are committed to supporting entrepreneurs, who bring jobs, income, ideas and optimism to our communities,” she said.
“Women entrepreneurs can be incredibly resilient, but they can face overwhelming constraints when they are trying to expand,” said Natalia Strigunova of Russia’s Ministry of Economic Development.
“Through this prize, Apec can introduce these entrepreneurs to a larger network.”