WOMEN OF MINDANAO – MOVERS OF THE ECONOMY

March is a celebration of women’s power and so I would want to give honor and recognition to the women of Mindanao who continue to be its greatest resource and treasure. These women play a very important role whether as guardians of peace or movers of business and investments in the region.

There are many women that I had met in my advocacy work for Mindanao. These women are so successful in running their own businesses but more significantly these are the women who went out of the comforts of their air-conditioned offices and the luxury of their homes ; and contributed their talents and skills in the community that they do business in and helped improved the investments in Mindanao.

In the business and the chambers of commerce arena, there is Elena U. Haw who is the current Vice President for Mindanao of the Philippince Chamber of Commerce and Industry and recently was considered as the point person for Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines - East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA). Haw was part of the Philippine delegation who joined President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in the 5th BIMP-EAGA Leaders Summit late last month in Thailand. Elena had made it her passion to work for the development of small businesses particularly those in agriculture, corn and hog raising in South Cotabato where she is from.

Ann Pamintuan and Leny Castillo are outstanding business women in the furniture and handicraft sector. Both women spend all their energies honing their craft, looking for new markets, joining foreign trade exhibits and always manage to bring home the big orders assuring jobs for all of their workers and their families. Anne is also the only Asian featured in the International Design Yearbook 2002.

There is Davao hotelier, Mary Ann “Baby” Montemayor who steers the private sector in the promotion of tourism in Davao City. While Chair of the BIMP EAGA Tourism Council, Baby had inspired many women in the travel sector from all over Mindanao to think “ out of the box “ and not to be discouraged every time there are negative events that seems to hamper the growth of the sector. She continuously brings in innovative ideas as she tirelessly moves around ensuring that tourism is at its best anywhere in our island.

Ten Outstanding Women of the Nations (TOWNS) Awardee, Evelyn Abellera Magno is the first woman Rotary governor from Mindanao. Evelyn is the Chair of their family owned university in the city of Davao and as an educator, I personally had seen how she had touched the lives of many of her students, particularly those coming from the poorer communities. This woman is everywhere – from medical and dental missions, giving out assistance during disaster and calamities and to helping others find better opportunities in life.

Charita Puentespina, Sally Luenberger and Fanny Yuhico had transformed their love for orchids into a very lucrative business and in so doing had employed and also trained hundred of men and women to put up their own livelihood in flora and fauna.

Women are always trend-setters and we can easily spot them in the restaurants and food businesses in Davao City. I really admire the vision of Charito Lizada who set the trend in the “barbecue” business thirty (30) years ago. Following her footstep was her eldest daughter, Amylou Lizada Aarts who started the “ tapsilog” concept in the city and made it into a chain of eateries. The “lechon manok” was introduced to the city by another woman who seems to be always on the go and that is Lena Benedicto. The coffee shop business in the city was started by Larcy Gatchalian who made famous the “durian coffee” The businesses of these women were copied and imitated by many, but despite all the competitions they found fulfillment knowing that they had motivated many to follow the trend that they had set. At the end, what is important is that jobs were given to multitudes of people.

In the small town of Tandag, Surigao is where you will find Annie Ty, a businesswoman in construction and housing and who also happens to be the President of the Tandag Chamber of Commerce and the prime mover of the Red Cross. She plays a very important role in the development of investments and generation of jobs in such a far flung area.

Zamboanga del Norte is home to Rosa Lim who is the president of a rural bank and owns a sardines production plant and she plans to increase her production by 100% and export volume by 20% next year, thus giving more jobs to her workers, mostly women and their families. Lawyer and educator Marycel Engracia owns and operates a school in Zamboanga City and generously shares her expertise to many other technical schools in their region for them to improve their training delivery.

Mindanao’s top jeweler mother and daughter, Emilia and Eileen Sitjar established their own foundation that grants educational scholarships; likewise Emilia also is the head of the Divine Mercy Apostolate in Davao and has her hands full going around the different parishes doing works of mercy and propagating the devotion to the Divine Mercy.

These women had worked in partnership with many of the business organizations in Mindanao seeking ways and means to accelerate the economic momentum through the programs that they are implementing . Both Milalin Javellana of Philippine Australian Human Resource Development Facility (PAHRDF) and Myrna Lim of the Women in Education and Development of Cotabato City ensures that their development programs have a social component and responsibility to ease poverty in the area where they implement their projects in partnership with business groups.

There are many more of these kind of women who do business with a heart . They realize that more than making profits in their businesses; it is also their responsibility to nurture the community where they do their business.

These women are to be admired for their outmost creativity and their ability to make very quick decisions amidst an economic turmoil. Their capacity to survive is being constantly tested, more so when you do business in Mindanao. All of them will never allow anything to break their spirits and their will to succeed; and that is what makes Mindanao women different!


(Joji Ilagan Bian is a strong and respected advocate for the development of the region. She is Chair of Joji Ilagan Foundation ( www.jojiilagancareercenter.com) ; President , Phil. Call Centers Alliance and Mindanao Tech Voc Schools Association; Mindanao Rep, Export Development Council .Email comments jojibian2@yahoo.com)

JOJI BIAN JOINS ROSTER OF ESTEEMED BUSINESS PEOPLE

Businesswoman Joji Ilagan-Bian shares her life and her passions in Go Negosyo’s third book “GO NEGOSYO: Joey Concepcion’s 55 Inspiring Stories of Women Entrepreneurs” launched on February 26 in Manila.

Launched by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the book focuses on successful women entrepreneurs, their confidence as good role models and inspiration to the Filipinos. These women were selected from various fields and industries like fashion, tourism, health, beauty, among others.

Apart from Bian, the book features other women entrepreneurs that come from both micro- and large-scale businesses. Among them are Zenaida Tantoco of Rustan’s, Milagros Yee and Clarita Go of Goldilocks, Elizabeth Lee of Universal Motors Corporation, Vivian Sarabia of Sarabia Optical, Gladys Reyes of KSA Magic, and Jennilyn Antonio of Ehje’s Peanut Butter.

Go Negosyo’s first two books were the “Go Negosyo’s Inspiring Entrepreneurial Stories,” was recognized as the number one bestseller in the non-fiction category of National Bookstore, and the “Go Negosyo’s Inspiring Entrepreneurial Stories Celebrity Edition,” which has also climbed the ranks of National Bookstore’s Top Four Bestsellers.

The third book will be available in leading bookstores nationwide starting February 26. (source mindanao daily mirror, date: March 2, 2009)