Philippines Social Entrepreneur of the Year 2009

Kevin Teo

November 10, 2009

The Social Entrepreneur of the Year for the Philippines was announced at Makati Shangrila during Ernst & Young’s national Entrepreneur of the Year celebration. Social Entrepreneur Gemma Boulos, Founder and Executive Director of A Single Drop for Safe Water (ASDSW), received her award in the presence of over 500 business, political, and media leaders. This is the third year of collaboration in the country
between Schwab Foundation and Ernst & Young in recognizing outstanding social entrepreneurs. The independent panel of judges this year include Cesar VIRATA, Zorayda Amelia ALONZO, Senen BACANI, Krishnendu DATTA, Zenaida MAGLAYA, Oscar REYES, and Vivian GEE.

Gemma Bulos, a Filipino-American, was a former musician and preschool teacher who was meant to be in the World Trade Center on the morning of 9/11. She responded to the tragedy by devoting her life to a cause she believed would promote peace and equality among people – access to safe water. The United Nations Division for Sustainable Development estimates that 1.2 billion people in the world lack access to fresh water, and between 3-5 million people per year die of water related diseases. Since its establishment in year 2006, ASDSW has been seeking to address this problem – first in Bulos’ home country, the Philippines. The organization offers services such as education and training as well as building fresh water access systems to empower poor communities. These projects provide safe water to Filipinos in dire need of it. Bulos envisions ASDSW to be the clearing house for safe water projects globally, and that the Philippines will be the testing ground for water technologies. Plans are currently underway to replicate the ASDSW model in Uganda next year.