Left to right: DTI Quezon Dir. Julieta Tadiosa, GWP2 Project Officer Hubert Par, GWP2 Project Manager Lucy Villanueva, PCW Deputy Dir. Christine Balmes, DTI ROG Asec. Demphna Du-Naga, Sen. Bam Aquino, DTI 4-A Asst. Dir. Marcelina Alcantara, Global Affairs Canada Head of Cooperation Stephen Weaver, Global Affairs Canada Sr. Program Officer Myrna Jarillas, and DTI Nueva Ecija Dir. Brigida Pili

The juxtaposition of the past and present in design and techniques was represented last October 20-22, 2017 at the World Trade Center, Pasay City during the GREAT Women Project 2 (GWP2) Exhibition at the 66th Manila Fame.

The GWP2 teamed up with lifestyle designer PJ Arañador to help with product development. The exhibition featured finely selected home furnishings, houseware, holiday gifts and décor, bags, shoes, and fashion accessories designed and handcrafted by women in the Philippines for the global market.

The Gender Responsive Economic Actions for the Transformation (GREAT) of Women Project 2, funded by the Global Affairs Canada, focuses on improving competitiveness and sustainability of women’s enterprises to produce quality, environmentally sustainable products, making the value chain more gender responsive and improve entrepreneurial capacity.

The Department of Trade and Industry, being the lead partner agency of the GWP2 in partnership with the Philippine Commission on Women, has a Project Management Team housed at the DTI Region IV-A Office that oversees the implementation of the project nationwide, with DTI CALABARZON Assistant Regional Director Marcelina Alcantara as the National Coordinator.

During the three-day exhibition, the 598 product prototypes featured the artisanal designs inspired by traditional techniques such as weaving. Taking advantage of the country’s wealth of natural resources, local materials like water hyacinth, sabutan, buri, corn husks, abaca, and other natural fibers were used in new ways and were creatively adapted in the making process to add meaning and value to the products.

A total of 48 women entrepreneurs all over the country participated in the exhibit. 9 women entrepreneurs from the CALABARZON region were included: Ay9 Barong Gallery, Bwenas Water Hyacinth Handicrafts, Laguna Water Hyacinth Handicraft Producers Association, Inc., Lumban Marketing Cooperative, Souq Salamanca Artisans Arts and Crafts, Shoreline Kabalikat sa Kaunlaran, Inc., Unique Weavers Association of Unisan, Quezon, Inc., Kalahi Multi-Purpose Cooperative, and Leo Fels Handicrafts.

“The exhibition provides a platform for Filipina artisans to explore innovative uses of our local materials and transform them into artistic and unique products,” DTI CALABARZON Director Marilou Toledo said.

Left to right: CITEM Executive Dir. Clayton Tugonon, DTI ROG Asec. Demphna du-Naga, Global Affairs Canada Head of Cooperation Stephen Weaver, and DTI 4-A Asst. Dir. Marcelina Alcantara