Women Supporting Women: Helping Laguna MSMEs Post Pandemic

As the culminating event for Women’s Month, the Women’s Business Council Philippines, Inc. (WomenBizPH) together with the Laguna Tourism Council Philippines organized “Women Supporting Women,” a one-day event of conversations, trade fair, and business networking. Held at Eldar’s Theater, Enchanted Kingdom in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, the event gathered 140 women business leaders, government officials, and Laguna-based MSMEs.

Celebrating 25 years of serving as the voice of women in business, WomenBizPH inspires optimism and creates opportunities by providing entrepreneurs with access to finance, markets, technology, training and upskilling, and more. This year, WomenBizPH is focusing its efforts to help MSMEs in the local weaving industry. To cap its 25^th anniversary year, WomenBizPH is planning a big event on September 1-3, 2023 at SM Mall of Asia, which will include a conference, degustation, trade fair, and fashion show. Themed “Philippines: Heritage and Legacy, Art, Culture and Cuisine,” the September event will showcase the attractions of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

The March 31^st event served as the precursor of the September event, focusing purely on Laguna Province, especially since the recently inducted president of the Laguna Tourism Council Philippines is none other than Cynthia Romero-Mamon, COO of Enchanted Kingdom and secretary and trustee of WomenBizPH. Cynthia formally welcomed guests to the event, expressing her desire for the Laguna-based MSMEs present to seize the opportunity to learn from the resource speakers and to network with the WomenBizPH members and government agency representatives.

WomenBizPH President Rosemarie Rafael shared her inspirational story of how she started her career in the transportation and travel industry at Thai International Airlines Ltd. before setting up Airspeed, a global corporate logistics company providing freight solutions management, warehousing, distribution, customized logistics, and customs clearance. Rosemarie confessed that she had also faced the same challenges that the MSMEs are facing now, especially that of obtaining access to finance. She encouraged them to focus on four important components for success: Having a well-thought-out PLAN; investing in detailed and ample PREPARATION; recruiting, training, and keeping the right PEOPLE; and trusting in God’s provenance with PRAYERS, especially when the challenges seem insurmountable.

Focusing on Laguna, Fatima “Pinky” Villasenor, head of the Laguna Economic Development Investment Promotions Office (LEDIPO), gave an overview of current economic opportunities for women in Laguna, and how LEDIPO is helping them in Babaeng Negosyante. Pinky highlighted the various products of Laguna, from its delicious food and beverages such as the Los Baños buko pie, Nagcarlan’s espasol and uraro, and Pagsanjan’s bibingka; to fashion and wearables, especially the traditional embroidered barong of Lumban; Liliw’s slippers, and Cavinti’s sombreros; handicrafts and souvenirs such as Paete’s wood carving and whittled products, and Pila’s water hyacinth products; and more. To promote the products of Laguna and to serve as government assurance that they are indeed of good quality, the government has recently launched the Likhang Laguna Seal.

Zeroing in on tourism, the OIC of the Laguna Tourism Culture Arts and Trade Office (LTCATO) Pam Peters talked about Love Laguna, the latest tourism campaign promoting the province. Designed to increase tourist arrivals, spread visits across the province’s different cities and municipalities, and boost the local economy in a sustainable way, the campaign portrays Laguna as being more than just the resort capital of the country.

Pam invited guests to come visit to enjoy Laguna’s rich culture, its natural wonders, exciting adventures, gastronomic delights, world class products, and multi-talented people. Pam announced that LTCATO will soon be launching Love Laguna’s website and app, which will serve as a one-stop shop where visitors can see everything that Laguna offers, including booking hotels and tourist spots and travel experiences.

The app will feature six areas. First, Love Culture promotes Laguna’s rich cultural heritage, with its centuries-old churches, its Spanish colonial architecture, and the skills passed on from generation to generation. Second, Love Adventure features the many experiences that can be enjoyed from going on a falls tour, shooting the rapids in Pagsanjan, dipping into Laguna’s many hot spring resorts, camping in Los Baños, windsurfing and ziplining in its Caliraya aerial adventure parks, to having a magical experience at Enchanted Kingdom, the country’s only world-class theme park. Third, Love Shopping lists the many artisanal products that Laguna is famous for which showcases the inherited arts of whittling, sculpting, embroidery, weaving and shoemaking. Fourth, Love Food will promote Laguna’s cafes and restaurants and provide a guide to the flavors of Laguna, with its delicacies and heirloom recipes that provide a unique gastronomic experience. Fifth, Love Nature promotes the natural beauty of Laguna’s lakes, majestic waterfalls and breathtaking sunsets, like Pagsanjan Falls, Bato Springs, Hidden Valley Springs, Seven Lakes, Lake Caliraya, Mountain Lake Resort, and Mt. Makiling. Finally, Love People highlights the warmth and hospitality, strength and resilience of Laguna’s people that has produced internationally-acclaimed performers, beauty queens and artists.

Pam also invited guests to attend the yearly Anilag Festival which happens every March in Laguna’s capital Sta Cruz. Derived from the words ani ng Laguna or Harvest of Laguna, the Anilag Festival serves as a celebration and thanksgiving for the prosperity derived from agriculture. Showcasing an array of activities related to arts, culture and industries, the festival features a fluvial parade and procession, a songwriting competition, an arnis exhibition, a hot air balloon exhibition, a search for talents and artists, the selection of Ginoo and Binibining Laguna, a trade fair participated in by Laguna’s LGUs, and more.

Six panelists joined the panel discussion which I moderated on the challenges that women in business face. Remia Adedoja, GM of Isola Handicrafts; Analie Rosales Casedo, designer and owner of EA Casedo’s Embroidery; Corazon Montejo Colgado of AI-SHE Footwear; Michelle “Baby” Cagandahan Baldemor of Kath’s; Donna Lina, president of UBE Media and Executive Producer of Panahon TV; and Atty. Rose Coloma, president of the Laguna Chamber of Commerce. The panelists agreed that it was difficult starting up their business and finding access to funds and markets, but they persevered, and opportunities came for them to expand, with some even getting to sell their products overseas. For some, the pandemic lockdown hit them badly, but they put their trust in God and continued to take care of their workers who relied on them for their livelihood. Some of them took to selling their products on social media and this opened more doors for them.

When asked what inspired them to persevere, what dreams they still had, and what they intend to do to achieve those dreams, I learned that their trust in God was paramount in their lives. Another thing common to them was having very supportive partners in life. Michelle, who hails from Paete and manufactures beautiful wooden handbags and accessories, named her business after her special child Kath and said that she hopes to establish a foundation for autistic children. Remia said she is conducting training for her staff to learn how to weave bags and baskets from water lilies, as having this skill will allow them to earn more and take care of their families. Analie, who was born in Mabitac, wants to preserve the art of embroidery that has been handed down from generation to generation by teaching more people. Baby wants to expand her footwear business and become a global brand so that she can help more people. Donna, who initiated the Plant and Nurture Program of OneLGC together with the Makiling Center for Mountain Ecosystems of UP Los Baños, invited guests to join forces in this sustainable project and offered to help promote Laguna-based MSMEs at Panahon TV.

Celia Elumba, Chief Technical Advisor, United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and former director of the Philippine Textile Research Institute at the Department of Science & Technology presented a case study on Philippine Textiles and Inclusive Innovation. Celia gave an overview of the different textiles produced in the Philippines and shared that the Philippines has an abundance of natural textile materials such as abaca, pineapple, banana, and bamboo. However, we do not have the capacity to commercially process them into fabric as we currently have only two facilities that convert the fiber in yarn. As a result, local weaves are pricey because they are handwoven by MSMEs. There is an opportunity, however, as there is a mandate for 1.7M Filipino government workers to wear uniforms using local tropical fabrics. In addition, the mainstream fashion market has embraced the use of local fabrics.

Celia discussed the idea of pushing Tela Pilipinas, an integrated ecosystem whereby natural textiles grown in a region are processed by innovation hubs nearby into yarn, then dyed so that they can be spun and used by creative weaving communities. Hopefully, we can interest the private sector to invest in the industry so that the local weaving industry will thrive.

Addressing one of the biggest challenges that MSMEs face, Imelda “Ida” Ceniza Tiongson, chairman of PruLife UK PH and member of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Finance Committee, urged the MSMEs present to know the demands of the market as well as their target market. She also reminded them to keep a good credit score as this would allow them to access products and services of financial institutions. They can start small by making a small loan for their business, paying it back faithfully, then borrowing again to scale up the business. With a good credit rating, they will start being taken seriously by financial institutions, and they will be able to avail of more competitive financial products and rates. Ida also recommended that MSMEs learn about finance and adopt financial technology to become empowered financially.

Presenting on behalf of DTI Usec. Blesila Lantayona, DTI Asec. Leonila Baluyut of the Regional Operations Group discussed what DTI is doing to ensure ease of doing business. These include online registration of business names for new entrepreneurs, the Negosyo Center Online Portal that provides information on jumpstarting a business, registering and growing the business, and even provides access to industry experts for consultation.

The event was capped with the presence of Hon. Congresswoman Ruth Mariano-Hernandez of Laguna’s 2^nd District, and Provincial Vice Governor Atty. Karen Agapay, both very charismatic and strong women.

Another bit of good news: the trade fair, which featured 15 MSMEs, reached over P90,000 in gross sales.

Special thanks to our partners, Provincial Government of Laguna, Laguna Tourism Culture Arts and Trade Office (LTCATO), Laguna Economic Development and Investment Promotions Office (LEDIPO) and DTI Philippines. Also, thanks to our sponsors Goya, Spam, Magnolia Ice Cream, and Purefoods Tender Juicy for the delicious snacks, and to the Governor’s office through LTCATO for the sumptuous lunch.

Finally, huge thanks to Enchanted Kingdom who provided the venue and entertainment, and TeamAsia who volunteered their services for the event! This project shows just what will power, commitment, and teamwork can do. A prime example of women helping women, TeamAsia and Enchanted Kingdom collaborated seamlessly in designing, organizing, and managing the event, with a team of mostly women. When women help other women, great things happen.