The Great Women Brand

I first encountered the Great Women Brand at the Women in Media Session hosted by the Enabling Communities with Hope and Opportunities Sustainable Initiatives (ECHOsi) Foundation and the Women’s Business Council of the Philippines (WBCP) back in February. In the program, there was a talk by Jeannie Javelosa, president of ECHOsi and a presentation of the Great Women Brand. This is new and it got my attention.

The Great Women Brand products

It turns out that the Great Women Brand was created through the partnership of ECHOsi Foundation, ECHOstore Sustainable Lifestyle's non-profit arm, and the Philippine Commission on Women under a grant from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)with the goal of elevating the quality of both food and non-food products by women micro entrepreneurs from different regions of the Philippines.  

The brand is the result of the year-long Great Women Project, which had designers and product developers working with women microenterprises in Quezon, Leyte, Bohol, Iloilo, and Naga -- fashion designer Lulu Tan Gan, awarded designers and Movement 8 co-founders Tes Pasola and Ann Pamintuan, bag designer and exporter Renee Patron of Banago Bags (whose bags are in elite stores in the US like Nordstroms and Bloomingdales), Lenora Cabili of Filip+Inna (private trunk show to New York), product merchandiser Rambie Lim of Habi and rurungan Foundation, architect and designer Dan Lichauco, artist-designer-curator and ECHOsi Foundation president Jeannie Javelosa, product merchandise designer and graphic artist Reena Francisco and coffee product specialist Chit Juan, both of ECHOstore.  

Fashion designer Lulu Tan Gan with Miagao weavers

Designer Len Cabili in Davao

Charged with women empowerment, this program is focused on women helping women up the value chain, developing product variants and packaging, providing tools for smooth business operations, and opening new markets for their products.  

The trio behind the Great Women Brand (l-r):
Jeannie Javelosa, Chit Juan and Reena Franciso

The Great Women brand was launched recently at the Yuchengco Museum and was well received by the guests. On exhibit were food products, home textile accessories, couture and fashion accessories and home décor pieces.

Some products on display at the Great Women Brand launch

Currently, the Great Women brand products are available at ECHOstore Serendra, ECHOstore Podium, ECHOstore Centris, as well as in Tesoro's Handicrafts and Milkyway Café in Pasay Road, Makati City.

A Day in Honor of Children's Books

July 17 is National Children’s Book Day. 

Celebrated every third Tuesday of July, this is in honor of the publication of the Filipino folk tale, “The Monkey and the Turtle” by Dr. Jose Rizal, in the July 1889 edition of the Trubner’s Oriental Record in London. This being the first acknowledged published literary work for children written by a Filipino. 

The Philippine Board on Books for Young People will spearhead the  National Children’s Book Day  opening celebrations this year at the Museo Pambata, with the theme, "Masayang Magbasa sa Sariling Wika." Local publishers will be presenting their latest crop of titles during the event and the Philippine Board on Books for Young People will award the winners of the 2012 PBBY-Salanga and the PBBY-Alcala Prizes.

Ready for a Weekend of Everything that Flies

I am so excited to spend the weekend at Clark, Pampanga and witness the festivities at the 17th Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta.

The company that I work for has been sponsoring the event for so long but I always find a reason not to go to Clark these past years. I'm sure that I'll enjoy the various flying activities that the organizers of the Hot Air Balloon Fiesta have prepared from sunrise till sunset.

Will post photos and a write-up here next week to share the experience but go to Clark Freeport Zone and see the event for yourself, if you have nothing better to do this weekend. Tickets are only P200 each for a colorful weekend of everything that flies!

For more information, log on to www.philballoonfest.net

'Mama Mia!' Extended Run

We now have the chance to watch the smash hit musical 'Mama Mia!' that has performed around the world -- here in Manila at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP).

‘Mama Mia!’ is a musical based on the music of Abba, the popular Swedish group that ruled the music charts in the seventies. The musical includes such Abba hits as ‘Super Trouper’, ‘Lay All Your Love On Me’, ‘Dancing Queen’, ‘Knowing Me, Knowing You’, ‘Take A Chance On Me’, ‘Thank You for the Music’, ‘Money, Money, Money’, ‘The Winner Takes It All’, ‘Voulez Vous’ and ‘SOS’.

Shows were initially slated from January 24 until February 5 -- Tuesday thru Sunday at 8 pm, and Saturday and Sunday 3 pm matinee show. Due to insistent public clamor, show dates were extended until February 19. Tickets are now available at Ticketworld.

Related post: Oh, 'Mama Mia!' (press launch)

Filed under SHOWS

Redeem Miles for Katy Perry Concert Tickets

I have been a member of Philippine Airlines' Mabuhay Miles for several years now yet I have never used my accumulated miles for flight rewards. Little did I know that good news was waiting for me in my email inbox -- a Mabuhay Miles e-Connections (the official online newsletter of Mabuhay Miles) informed me that I can actually redeem my miles in exchange for tickets to the KATY PERRY, The California Dreams Tour 2012 concert happening on January 22 at 8 pm at the SM Mall of Asia concert grounds.

Philippines Airlines, the official carrier of the KATY PERRY concert, gives Mabuhay Members the chance to get tickets based on the following:

5,000 miles = for the first two (2) SILVER* tickets**

2,500 miles for the succeeding SILVER* tickets

* standing only

** minimum redemption of two (2) tickets per membership account

Show tickets can be redeemed, until supply lasts, at the Mabuhay Miles Service Center, 2/F Power Realty Building, 1012 A. Arnaiz Avenue, Makati City from 8:30 am to 5 pm from Monday thru Friday and 8:30 am to 12 nn on Saturday. Concert tickets are on a first come-first served basis and are subject to availability on the time of redemption.

Click here to download the Concert Ticket Redemption Form.

Other guidelines:

- may be endorsed to beneficiary

- miles used are non-refundable

- members are required to submit a signed Concert Ticket Redemption Form and a valid photo ID with signature at the Mabuhay Miles Service Center

- Philippine Airlines - Mabuhay Miles is not responsible or liable in any way for any warranty provided with a redeemed show ticket(s). Members are advised to contact the show producers and/or presentors directly should there be any query or dispute concerning the show.

Hurry now! Check and redeem your miles to party with KATY PERRY in Manila!

PFW S/S 2012: L'Oreal Paris presents Michael Cinco

Michael Cinco is a Filipino fashion designer who is based in Dubai and known for his fabulous couture gowns and his attention to details. Fresh from the success of his first solo show in the Philippines at the annual Red Cross Charity Ball, he joined Philippine Fashion Week's Spring-Summer 2012 through another solo show last October 24 at the SMX Convention Center, this time presented by L'Oreal Paris.

The invite

The collection was inspired by beautiful goddesses, bringing to life fabulous couture gowns of white, orange, brown, gold and red left the audience gasping in awe -- classic silhouettes done with a modern twist with delicate fringes, lace, and intricate beadings.

Also noteworthy are the "Greek gods" who paraded in nothing but underwear with metallic crotch accents.

Just when I thought that the usual runway walks were done, a group of muscled male models and one female model clad in skimpy but classy beaded body suit posed in the middle of the catwalk and bam! a simulated rain-shower drizzled and drenched their perfect bodies. My first time to actual see such a theatrical fashion show.

It's raining men!

As if this stunt was not enough as a show finale, out came Anne Curtis in a fire red body hugging gown said to cost P500,000.

Anne Curtis

Over-all, Michael Cinco's Spring/Summer masterpiece collection strongly underscores his fierce fashion prowess and extensive working knowledge of the female wearer.

Filed under SHOWS and FASHION

Ang Bagong Harana: Filipino Music Heritage

My generation still knows what a "harana" is, not from experience but from watching the Tagalog films of olden days. The classic Filipino movies never fail to include a scene of a young gentleman wooing the love of his life through songs at night, while she watches from the window of her house. How romantic it seems as it mimics the balcony scene of William Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet."

And I realize that it is the film industry's way of preserving that bit of Filipino culture so that the next generations would know and hopefully appreciate the way love (or at least like) is communicated back then. However, I can imagine the younger generation watching such scenes might react -- they might squirm uncomfortably or giggle in laughter because at present day, wooing is done in a casual manner, through texting (SMS) or web chatting, most often than not.

Karla Gutierrez, POC's artistic director and performer

"Ang Bagong Harana" director Floy Quintos

Outside of film, the 'harana' or 'kundiman' became a mainstream musical style until the late 1960s. Unfortunately, it had been quietly left behind as newer music genres took over. This is why the Philippine Opera Company is reviving this beautiful Filipino culture.

The Philippine Opera Company produced the critically-acclaimed hit "Harana" back in 2008 to showcase the evolution of Philippine music through songs and movements, even reaching a wider audience when they toured in Amsterdam in 2009 and when the company did a regional tour of Cebu, Roxas, Antique, Bohol, Dumaguete and Palawan in 2010. Earlier this year, they conquered Bacolod, Ormoc, Tacloban and Samar.

For the 2011-2012 season of the Philippine Opera Company, "Ang Bagong Harana" will take on a newer and fresher version with an array of immortal and classic Filipino songs that will be interpreted in "never before seen performances." The show shall integrate the past and the present -- mix old and new songs, re-arranged and re-edited -- with the goal of reaffirming "who we are as Filipinos" and validating "where we have all come from," and will showcase the best of all the Filipino composers from different music genres, namely Nicanor Abelardo, Ryan Cayabyab, Willy Cruz, Francisco Santiago, Antonio Molina, Resti Umali, George Canseco, Ernani Cuenco, Levi Celerio, Jose Estrella, Constancio de Guzman and Felipe de Leon, among others.

Philippine theater's celebrated singers

I won't reveal much in this post yet, just enough information to tickle your brains and hopefully bring you to watch "Ang Bagong Harana," which will have a limited run from September 29 to October 1 at 8 pm, with matinee at 3:30 pm on October 1, at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium of RCBC Plaza in Makati City. For ticket sales, please call Philippine Opera Company at 881-7168 or 0917-5272880 or Ticketworld at 891-9999. You may also log on to the POC's website or Like Harana on Facebook.

NOTE:

A re-run is happening on June 6 - 10 at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium of RCBC Plaza in Makati City. For ticket sales, please call Philippine Opera Company at 881-7168 or 0917-5272880 or Ticketworld at 891-9999.

Filed under SHOWS