Last November, Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship and Go Negosyo fonder Joey Concepcion had an exploratory meeting for an inclusive and sustainable business program for the weaving industry in the Philippines together with Madame Cielito ‘Honeylet’ Avancena. Madame Honeylet has been actively championing local weavers in the country.
In recognition of the urgent need to revitalize our weaving industry, Go Negosyo organizes an exclusive forum that will bring together artisans, enablers, members of the academe, icons and other enthusiasts in the field this March 02. The forum titled Women of Impact gather for the first time in a single event the country’s four Manlilikha ng Bayan (National Living Treasure) for Weaving. Manlilikha ng Bayan Ambalang Ausalin for Yakan Tennun, Manlilikha ng Bayan Estelita Bantilan for B’laan Igem, Manlilikha ng Bayan Magdalena Gamayo for Ilokano Inabel, and Manlilikha ng Bayan yabing Masalon Dulo for B’laan Tabih.
Go Negosyo’s Women of Impact awardees Amb. Delia Domingo-Albert (Philippines), Kemarlah Duraman (Brunei), Veronica Colondam (Indonesia), Manola Daravong (Laos), Mom Luang Preeyapun Sridhavat (Thailand), and Sta. Elena Construction and Development CEO and WOMEN 2020 Entrepreneurship Summit co-chair Alice Eduardo, are speaking in a panel to highlight the contributions of women in various fields. The panel will be moderated by TV actress and host Issa Litton.
Another highlight of the forum is the fireside chat with Bangladesh fashion designer and UNESCO Artist for Peace Bibi Rusell. Rusell is the founder of Bibi Productions, a fashion line that allowed for the revival of weaving and local crafts in Bangladesh, with more than 39,000 local weavers and artisans employed to date. The fashion for development championed by Rusell will be the focus of the segment, and how the country can adopt or develop a similar model or strategy.
Ms. Cielito Honeylet Avacena, Philippine weaving and traditional arts advocate, also delivers a special message. A panel on Philippine fashion development, on the other hand, features key government officials and enablers such as Agriculture William Dar and Sen. Loren Legarda. From the private sector, they are joined by Bibi Rusell, Sopheap Chen (Women of Impact Awardee Myanmar), Anthony Cruz Legarda (fashion designer and textile technologist), Jeannie Javelosa (Lead of GREAT WOMEN in the ASEAN Initiative), and Ditta Sandico (President and CEO of Ditta Sandico). This panel will be moderated by award-winning broadcaster Karen Davila, and will also include interveners Dina Bonnevie-Savellano (La Bon Vie PH), Charito Cariaga (Nagbacalan Loomweavers MPC), and Tal De Guzman (co-founder of Strive Collective and Risque Designs).
Alongside the forum, there is a curated expo featuring authentic Filipino traditional textiles and the works of some of the country’s creative/fashion designers and start-ups.
“In order for our women entrepreneurs, including local weavers, to prosper, they need an environment that will help them scale up. This is what we aim to help them with. Our thrust has always been to enhance the capacity and competencies of our micro, small, and medium-sized entrepreneurs, the majority of which are women, so they can have a better chance in life,”PAJoey Concepcion said.
The Forum on Women of Impact Is launched in line with Go Negosyo’s 15th anniversary and in celebration of the significant impact of women entrepreneurship across the region. The event is also connected to Go Negosyo’s biggest and most inclusive women negosyo summit of the year, the WOMEN 2020 Entrepreneurship Summit: Perspectives of a Global Woman of Impact, which will be on March 3 at the World Trade Center, Pasay City.