BUTUAN CITY — Young aspiring entrepreneurs in Butuan City are being encouraged to turn their business ideas into potential ventures through the Youth Entrepreneurship Program (YEP) – Be Your Own Boss (BYOB) 2026. The three-day program, set for September 28–30, 2026, at the J.C. Aquino Sr. Multipurpose Building in Libertad, Butuan City, is being organized by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Agusan del Norte Provincial Office in partnership with the City Government of Butuan through the City Economic and Business Development Department (CEBDD). Open to youth participants aged 18 to 30, the training aims to develop practical business knowledge, entrepreneurial skills, and awareness of government programs available to support enterprise development.
Turning Business Ideas Into Action
The YEP-BYOB is a flagship DTI initiative built around a standardized curriculum consisting of four business modules and 19 essential topics. Participants will explore key areas such as business ideation, market analysis, business planning, digital entrepreneurship, marketing, financial management, and business pitching. Rather than focusing solely on classroom concepts, the training guides participants through the different stages of developing a potential enterprise. They will learn how to identify opportunities, generate and refine business concepts, and evaluate whether their ideas are feasible. The program will culminate in a business pitching activity, giving participants an opportunity to present their proposed ventures while practicing how to communicate their ideas, explain their value propositions, and deliver their presentations with confidence. Interested applicants must participate as a team of three youth members. Teams may come from an existing organization, association, school, or community-based group, or may register independently as a stand-alone team.
Connecting Youth With Business Support
For young Butuanons who have promising business ideas but limited entrepreneurial experience, the program provides a structured path toward developing those ideas into actionable opportunities. Beyond business knowledge, participants are expected to gain an entrepreneurial mindset that can help them recognize opportunities and make informed decisions when pursuing a venture. The training also connects participants to DTI's wider support system, including the Youth Enterprise Fund (YEF). The program provides financial assistance ranging from PHP30,000 to PHP500,000 for qualified youth entrepreneurs aged 18 to 30, with no collateral requirement and flexible grace-period options of up to 12 months. By combining entrepreneurship training with potential access to financing, the initiative addresses two common challenges faced by young entrepreneurs: limited business knowledge and difficulty accessing capital. DTI Secretary Cristina A. Roque emphasized that reducing financial barriers can help young people transform their ideas into viable businesses capable of generating quality employment and contributing to their communities.
Investing in Butuan’s Young Entrepreneurs
The YEP-BYOB 2026 forms part of broader efforts to strengthen the country's micro, small, and medium enterprise sector while encouraging more young Filipinos to participate in economic development. For Butuan City, providing young people with entrepreneurial knowledge and connecting them with available government assistance can help encourage innovation, enterprise development, and greater economic participation. The initiative also supports the goal of creating opportunities for young people to become potential job creators while contributing to a more resilient local economy. Interested youth participants may register through the link indicated in the official program announcement.
