The Foundation for a Sustainable Society, Inc. (FSSI) supported the 5th Social Enterprise Advocacy and Leveraging (SEAL) Asia Conference, which brought together social entrepreneurs, advocates, academe, government, and social investors at the University of the Philippines Diliman to explore how social entrepreneurship can contribute to inclusive and sustainable development across Asia in light of the last five years of accelerating the SDGs through 2030.
Held under the theme, “Critical Social Entrepreneurship Pathways in the Last 5 Years of Accelerating the SDGs: Addressing the Digital Divide, Climate Crisis, and Women’s Economic Empowerment,” the three-day conference examined critical concerns shaping social entrepreneurship and its contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The conference highlighted the digital divide as a cross-cutting concern in efforts to accelerate progress toward the SDGs. At the same time, the growing impacts of the climate crisis emphasize the need for social enterprises to help respond to extreme weather events and slow-onset impacts. The conference also showed the importance of women’s participation in advancing the SDGs, particularly as 2026 marks the International Year of the Woman Farmer and women continue to face exclusion and structural barriers to effective engagement.
On the first day, sessions focused on community-centered connectivity initiatives, bridging the digital divide, climate action, and the circular economy. Simultaneous workshops explored approaches to addressing the digital divide, advancing circular economy and climate action, and strengthening the role of universities in social entrepreneurship.
Plantsville Health, an FSSI social enterprise partner, also participated in the first-day workshop on “Perspectives and Significant Practices on the Role of Universities in Advancing Social Entrepreneurship in the Last 5 Years of the Sustainable Development Goals.” Representing Plantsville Health, CEO November Canieso-Yeo joined Dean Finaflor Taylan of the University of the Philippines Open University and Associate Professor Dhino Geges of the University of the Philippines Los Baños College of Human Ecology as speakers. The session examined how universities can advance social entrepreneurship through their education, research, and extension mandates, as well as the significant practices and insights emerging from these initiatives. The workshop was moderated by Assistant Professor Jose Emmanuel Reverente, Deputy Director of the UP Technology Transfer and Business Development Office (UP TTBDO).
The second day placed particular focus on women’s economic empowerment, social investments, and collaborative action for sustainable development. Among the speakers was Christie Rowena “Tetay” Plantilla, Chief Executive Officer of the Federation of Peoples’ Sustainable Development Cooperative (FPSDC). Her participation highlighted the role of social enterprises and cooperatives in advancing women’s economic empowerment and inclusive development. She also shared FPSDC’s initiatives in supporting women, including its co-investment partnership with FSSI.
The final day turned to social investments for social entrepreneurship and accelerating progress toward the SDGs during the final five years of the 2030 Agenda. The program featured a plenary on social investments for social entrepreneurship, followed by reports from the breakout sessions and the Closing Plenary. These sessions brought together insights, reflections, and commitments from the discussions held throughout the conference.
Across the three days, the discussions reinforced the importance of building responsive social investment mechanisms that enable social enterprises to grow, create meaningful impact, and contribute to sustainable development.
The 5th SEAL Asia Conference was co-hosted by the University of the Philippines, in partnership with the Japan Foundation, Social Value Japan, Association for Progressive Communications, Oxfam Pilipinas, Manila Observatory, Peace and Equity Foundation, Poverty Reduction through Social Entrepreneurship (PRESENT) Coalition, and the Institute for Social Entrepreneurship in Asia (ISEA), with support from FSSI.
