Showing posts with label Madiskarte Moms PH. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Madiskarte Moms PH. Show all posts

June 14, 2024

The enduring spirit of Independence Day heroes lives on in mompreneurs

As we commemorate the country’s 126th Independence Day, we also reflect on its meaning and relevance in today's world. Just as we had inspiring heroes fighting for the Philippines’ right to self-government and freedom from colonial rule in 1898, we have modern-day heroes that continue to contribute to the nation’s growth and to individual self-sufficiency today.

These are Filipinos who overcome hardships to achieve personal and financial empowerment through entrepreneurship. According to the Philippine Institute for Development Studies, MSMEs “generate 62.4 percent of the country's total employment, contribute 36 percent of gross value added, and account for 25 percent of total exports.”

Madiskarte Moms PH, an online community that supports starting and established mompreneurs, exemplifies the enduring spirit of Filipinos whose businesses create opportunities for our people.

By creating products using materials and designs that are Filipino-centric impacts everyone in the entrepreneurial ecosystem. It creates direct and indirect employment for suppliers and communities.

If there is any modern-day example of heroes, it is Filipino mothers who are smart to realize that it doesn’t takes a huge capital to start a business. When they changed their mindset that it could be done, they did it. After all, when you’re fighting for your family’s future, you become brave like the hero you can be.

From OFWs to business owners


For Lois Gabriel, mother of three daughters and an OFW in Dubai for six years in the early 2000s, the secret to becoming an entrepreneur was using her biggest skill: coordinating things. “Not everyone can coordinate with too many suppliers all at the same time. I am very good at reminding clients, following up suppliers, and doing quality control during execution.

In Dubai, her degree in communication and her skill at organizing events paved the way to a side hustle in putting up events for her friends and church mates. When she came home to the Philippines to give birth, she decided to put up Lois Gabriel Events where she wears many hats as event coordinator, host and professional makeup artist.

“My first attempt didn’t materialize. In 2008, I enrolled at the School Fashion and Arts (SOFA) , where I took up makeup artistry. That was a game changer. I launched my makeup artistry page, clients were also looking for event coordination and that was the rebirth of Lois Gabriel Events. Currently, I have five people on staff and on call staff whenever I have events booked.”

The pandemic all but stopped her business but not her dreams. “My husband was earning enough for our daily needs, but we had no savings. Also, a very important reason for starting a business was my self-fulfillment as a woman and human being—that I am able to surpass the mediocrity cast upon women. It takes a lot of sweat and tears to be able to sustain a business.”

Another former OFW, April Ocampo worked in Macau and Singapore until the pandemic. In 2020, she was in the Philippines on maternity leave. For the next three years she was unemployed and became a full-time mom.

She wasn’t used to not working and suffered from post-partum depression. It caused her to question her worth, caused her anxiety and self-pity.“Napakaganda ng tinatakbo ng career ko noongwala pa akonganak. OFW po ako at tumutulongsapangangailangan ng pamilyanamin, may sarilingpera at kalayaan dati. Nawalan ako ng identity.”

To be honest, she says, putting up a business in the beginning was simply for herself, “para saakingsarili, para po sa sanity, at lalonglalo na po sa self-worth ko.”

In January this year, she put up Bounty Honey which sources wild honey in Mindanao. Her business began with only 18 bottles and P3,200.

Now, she is faced with the happy problem of supply since the demand for her honey is rising.

Leaving the comfort of the corporate world


Mommy Princess is a mompreneur who embodies an entrepreneur who tries her hand at business while an employee (she worked in BPO for 18 years) until she finally does it full time. During the pandemic, her company paid their employees three months despite halting work (they went back to the office after).

While stuck at home she sold homemade body wash under the name ISLA but pressed pause because she couldn’t find the right supplier. In 2022, she pivoted ISLA to handmade accessories using macramé and clay because they didn’t expire. “I’m a single parent with a 10-year-old and I still handcraft my jelwery pieces. When I have a lot of orders, I ask for help.” She employs stay-at-home moms and working students.

Mommy Princess says one of the biggest challenges in starting a business is limting one’s belief. “Whenyou’re surrounded by people that are not business minded, you get inputs like ‘Mahirapyan,’ ‘Naku saturated na ang market.’ The advantage in 2022 was it felt like everyone is starting a new normal life. So why not defy all the odds? What kept me going was my assurance that God got my back. His grace is sufficient.

Another corporate employee since she graduated from college, Ayeng Antonio-Mendez opened Abuela Café and Bakery in the last quarter of 2022 and began full operations in August the following year.

When you have a full-time job, starting a business takes courage because you are either leaving a regular income or if you don’t leave you’re adding more stress to your life. “In terms of our corporate job, we were doing very well. But on the business side, this is the most complicated because construction is ongoing then and there have been delays and additional costs.”

Mom to a four-year-old daughter, Ayeng says her family—her brother and sister-in-law, Ayeng and her husband—started the café because it was a long-held dream of her mom. “We are all working in the corporate world, and we thought why not we try to build our own business that someday our children will also benefit from and maybe continue. We also carry some recipes we had inherited from our grandmothers too. It’s like making their legacy and ours, combined, to continue evolving.”

These women have created a chain of impact around them—not only economically but also mentally: to be brave, to be open to new possibilities, to take on challenges along the way—that’s true freedom.

Empower yourself like these Filipino moms. Join Madiskarte Moms PH on Facebook.

March 9, 2024

Gawad Madiskarte returns with stronger focus on sustainability for 2024 awards

 

Madiskarte Moms PH (MMPH)’s Gawad Madiskarte powered by PLDT Home, the awards that pay tribute to mompreneurs, is back! This year, MMPH is putting the spotlight not only on hardworking and successful moms, but also on businesses that champion sustainability.

 

In a time when the Philippines is facing environmental and economic challenges, Gawad Madiskarte is looking for mompreneurs that are leading by example, demonstrating that sustainable business practices are not only possible but also profitable. By supporting and celebrating these visionary women, Gawad Madiskarte hopes to inspire other entrepreneurs and businesses to create a brighter, more sustainable future for all.

 

According to a report byearth.org, some of the pressing environmental issues in the Philippines in 2024 are plastic pollution and marine pollution. The country is highly dependent on single-use plastics that generate an annual 2.7 million tons of waste, a problem that the World Bank calls “staggering,” coupled with an insufficient waste management system. The World Bank also reports that an estimated 20% of this plastic waste end up in Philippine waters, endangering marine biodiversity.

 

This year’s major awards are Diskarteng Eco-Friendly, for the mompreneur who is leading the charge in environmental responsibility and pioneering green solutions with vision and progress; Diskarteng Angat, for the mompreneur who achieves exceptional sales growth in her business while leading the way in sustainability; and Diskarteng May Puso, for the mompreneur who creates a positive change by fulfilling her social responsibility to her communities.

 

There will be two winners per major award. One winner will come from the Start-Up category and the other one from the Scale Up category. For the Start Up category, the mompreneur’s business should be running for at least six months; for the Scale Up category, it should be running for at least 13 months with supporting documents such as a DTI and BIR permitsOwners must also have an online shop in any e-commerce platforms or social media accounts.

 

Diskarteng Digital and Diskarteng Home Bizspecial awards will also be given.

 

To join, fill out the Google Form with your answers and requirements.  Mompreneurs may access Gawad Madiskarte application formby joining the communitySubmission of all entry forms starts on March 8, 2024, International Women’s Day.

 

MMPH is an online community established to support and provide education, and business opportunities for Filipino mompreneurs., it boasts over 172,000 community members and15,000 trained mompreneurs.

 

In its advocacy to help and educate mompreneurs, MMPH has partnered with local and international brands. MMPH has also won various industry awards, such as the Silver Award from the Asia Pacific Stevie Awards, Grand Anvil, the highest PR award in the country, from the Public Relations Society of the Philippines, Gold Award for Best PR Program in Southeast Asia from the ASEAN PR  Network and the Prosperity Award from the UN Global Compact Network Philippines.

 

For more information on MMPH and Gawad Madiskarte, visit madiskartemoms.ph.

September 9, 2023

Madiskarte Moms PH community celebrates three years of supporting Filipino mompreneurs with Gawad Madiskarte 2023


The community of women entrepreneurs, Madiskarte Moms PH (MMPH) is bringing back Gawad Madiskarte to honor outstanding mompreneurs with over P1 million worth of prizes including ASUS laptops, PLDT Home broadband connection, one-year Canva Pro subscriptions, cash, and mentorship.

The awards showcase the success stories of mompreneurs who have subverted conventional expectations to embrace their entrepreneurial spirit. Their businesses are innovative, creative, and run by very hardworking women who do double duty as the glue that holds the family together, run their household and their business.

Major categories for this year’s Gawad Madiskarte include Diskarteng Angat (Fastest-Growing Business), Diskarteng Digital (Best Multi-Channel Business) and Diskarteng May Puso (Best Social Enterprise). Two major winners per category will be chosen from the Startup Division and Scale Up Division. The former are home or online businesses that recently started and show great potential while the latter are businesses that have been running for at least 13 months and are registered with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) or the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).

Special awards will also be given to three deserving finalists. These awards are Diskarteng Malikhain (Most Creative Business Branding), Diskarteng Pasulong (Most Innovative Product) and Diskarteng Home Biz (Mompreneurs’ Choice Award).

Chosen by industry luminaries

The judges for this year’s Gawad Madiskarte come from the business, telco, communications and creative industries. Maxine Loyola, AVP & Head of PLDT Home Marketing Public Relations, Influencer Marketing and Brand Advocacies, has launched the biggest marketing campaigns for Philippine Internet—from dial-up to prepaid internet cards, DSL and finally the Fiber broadband we enjoy today.

Joining her are entrepreneurs Jorge Wieneke and Jenny Wieneke, who are Mr. and Mrs. Negosyo and PLDT Home Biz ambassadors. Jorge is a GoNegosyo Angelpreneur who serves as consultant to aspiring and starting entrepreneurs all over the country; he also created Kalye Negosyo, a mentoring program for budding entrepreneurs. Jenny is an advertising expert with over 30 years of experience building brands and a PCE-GoNegosyo mentor since 2015. Entrepreneur Janine Khazaiealiabady, owner of Massage MNL, started her career at a fast food and moved to marketing and online commerce before founding Massage MNL five years ago.

From the creative and marketing industries, the judges are Donna Nievera-Conda, Maisie Littaua, and Marjorie Barretto. 

Nievera-Conda leads the integrated marketing communications agency Stratworks as President and co-CEO, and ID8, a digital publishing agency.

Littaua is the Head of Growth for Canva Philippines, a free online visual communication and collaboration platform launched in 2013. Today, Canva has grown to over 135 million monthly active users across 190 countries, with more than 200 designs created per second.

Barretto, actress and entrepreneur, launched her own online home and clothing brand Everything Avery during the pandemic, and opened her stunning River Garden Rest House for private rentals—a true-blue madiskarte mom.

Winners of this year’s Gawad Madiskarte will receive a trophy created by sculptor Ram Mallari, who works with discarded metal and forms them into provocative works of art in the steampunk style.

Mallari grew up in an impoverished district of Manila with his mother, whom he describes as “madiskarte,” and dedicates his Gawad Madiskarte design to all mompreneurs and his own mother.

Celebrating three years of supporting Filipino mompreneurs

Gawad Madiskarte also ushers in the third year of Madiskarte Moms PH as it welcomes more members to its current 162,000-strong base. An online community, MMPH manages a Facebook group and  YouTube channel that give valuable insights into finding business opportunities for all moms, whether they are stay-at-home or have day jobs and are looking for a side hustle to augment the family income.

MMPH’s online platforms also showcase the success stories of their members and how they can take advantage of social media to market and sell their products. But beyond digital interactions, MMPH is fostering economic growth in communities by nurturing a generation of mompreneurs who contribute to everyone’s success.

Mompreneurs are doers, a force for positive change and empowerment. Two of the most heartfelt messages from their stories is that opportunities are everywhere and that inspiration can come from one’s experience.

Their stories are all different and the women take different paths to get their businesses off the ground and scale up. But one thing that threads these experiences together is an openness to learn and to be part of a community that celebrates all their efforts and ideas.

“Our small business has become our primary source of income,” one mom said. “With it, we are able to pay our bills every month and even have some savings.”

We all can learn lessons from these inspiring moms, and Gawad Madiskarte urges us to celebrate them all.

Know more about Gawad Madiskarte and the inspiring moms of Madiskarte Moms PH by visiting pldthome.info/GawadMadiskarteAwards2023.

August 13, 2023

Check out these four interesting handmade products by Madiskarte Moms


Small business owners, especially women entrepreneurs, are important to both their immediate communities and the local economy. Research shows that there are around 28,000 Women’s SMEs (WSMEs) in the country or around one in four of all SMEs in the Philippines.

Entrepreneurs who are also mothers at home—the so-called mompreneurs—founded their businesses with the goal of improving their family’s lives. These businesses encourage creativity and empower women to be financially independent.

The online community Madiskarte Moms PH (MMPH) is one such support group for moms who are starting their own businesses or scaling up their existing ones. MMPH has its own Facebook group and YouTube channel that feature posts and videos of moms sharing advice and best practices in online marketing and selling. It’s very inspiring to see moms telling their own stories of how they started small and eventually scaled up.

These mompreneurs have created intensely personal businesses and, as such, their dedication shows in their products — proudly handcrafted, each one never the exact same copy of another. In a world of fast production, there is value in products made with skilled hands, passion, and care.

Mompreneurs are some of the most madiskarte and hardworking Filipinos hustling their way toward their financial goals. They deserve our support and applause for starting businesses from nothing, but more importantly, their products deserve our attention. Here are four of the best handcrafted products from the mompreneurs of Madiskarte Moms PH:

1. Bible journals by Love, Mama V

For those who like to write down their thoughts and prayers during their regular Bible readings, Madiskarte Mom Vannie Roxas’ Bible journals are a great get. Initially made for her own use, she started her business this year when her workload as a freelance social media manager became less demanding.

She joined a crafting workshop to learn how to print, and her husband’s T-shirt printing business made it easier for her to start since they already had the equipment. “At the workshop I learned that there are so many products we can do—it was a bit overwhelming,” Vannie says. “But I thank God because he led me to create products that are aligned with my passion and faith. I really use Bible journals to help my faith grow and I wanted to share it with fellow devotees who want to jot down their meditations.”

Vannie also now offers a Prayer Journal, Biblical Affirmations notebook and other products to help her customers in their faith journey. She says she feels very blessed as the business gives them additional income. “It’s not that big yet since we just started. We’re in the process of studying how we can grow it and expand to create more jobs in the community. I hope we get bulk orders for this year’s Christmas season so we can share the blessings that our products have showered upon us.”

Vannie’s journals are simple, usable, thick and long-lasting. They’re also truly affordable at P220 per journal.

2. Handmade relief balms and salves by Nurture Moms Balms

Our skin could always use some extra TLC—which is why this idea from mompreneur Christine Joy Llameg is one of the more enticing products in the Madiskarte Moms PH community. Christine sells homemade balms and salves that help treat annoying skin conditions such as rashes and dry skin. The healing salves are made with all-natural ingredients, such as essential oils and botanical extracts, and they also avoid the potentially dangerous chemical camphor.

The idea of making balms came to the mompreneur when she wanted to make one for a friend’s son with G6pd or the lack of an enzyme (glucose-6 phosphate dehydrogenase) in the blood. “Anything minty is not allowed to touch his skin so I first made a salve for him, and that sparked the idea of eventually selling them.”

The business also helps fund therapy sessions for Christine’s four-year-old daughter Irie, who’s in the autism spectrum. “I had my first big order during my second month—100 pcs of aromatherapy balm as a wedding favor and that paid for two months of therapy sessions. Currently my sales are at a slow phase but I’m still fighting for it because I have to give the best life for my family, especially my daughter,” she says.

Christine personifies the mom who never gives up no matter the odds. She shares that this is her third business idea after two failed ventures. “Life is really hard but when I think about my daughter, I feel like I can do anything.”

3. Realistic paper flowers by ICreate-paper flowers


Need floral decor for your events and spaces? Mompreneur April Baltazar’s paper flower designs, which imitate popular flowers such as roses and daisies, give off a very realistic feel. A Madiskarte Mom since 2015, she proudly shares that her home business has taken her to different places across the country to set up paper flowers for various clients.

April started her business eight years ago after she stumbled on a Facebook post about giant paper flowers. “I was intrigued and quickly became interested, so I decided to try making them myself. Since then, I have been exploring various social media platforms in search of creative ideas and online tutorials to gain inspiration. The positive feedback and encouragement I received from my friends, family, and early clients played a significant role in shaping my current path,” she says.

Madikarte Moms’ support motivated her to channel her creativity into a profitable business while social media helped her discover her target market. “Business has become our primary source of income. With it, we are able to pay our bills every month and even have some savings. Since I have been practicing my art for many years, I have seen significant improvement in my skills. As a result, I now conduct workshops to share my knowledge and expertise, which serve as an additional source of income for my family.”

April admits that the market is now saturated with numerous competitors, but “we are able to meet all our needs and wants solely by selling giant paper flowers. This business has truly helped my family financially.”

4. Polymer clay earrings by Cess’s Official


Want to change up your personal style? These handcrafted floral-themed polymer clay earrings by mompreneur Cess Tordes are colorful and vibrant, perfect to either accentuate a subtle outfit or complete a larger-than-life look. They’re also great for all ages! Mommy Cess offers a large collection of earrings, which she makes when she’s feeling stressed from her day job.

“I got the idea from Pinterest. I saw earrings that were so beautiful that I made some for myself. When I posted them on Facebook, a lot of people inquired where they could get them or if I was selling them. I couldn’t do it full time because I work full time for an AU-based company. Making polymer clay earrings is both a side business and a hobby,” Cess says.

She shares that the profit from the business goes to the schooling of her four-year-old daughter. “The income from the business is not a lot yet because I sell them at low prices, especially to momshies. But the fulfillment I get from creating them and seeing them worn by women to important occasions in their lives like their birthday, graduation or wedding is very satisfying.”

These awesome products by mompreneurs from the Madiskarte Moms PH community show that there’s no limit to the creativity and ingenuity of the Filipina. There are a lot more handmade products and items waiting to be discovered.

If you’re also a madiskarte mom who’s looking to touch base with like-minded mompreneurs, or if you’re an aspiring mompreneur who wants to channel your creativity and productivity into a small business, the Madiskarte Moms PH community is more than welcoming to new members.

To check out more unique products, connect with fellow mompreneurs, or start your journey to becoming a mompreneur yourself, you can join the Facebook group here.

March 17, 2023

PLDT Home’s Madiskarte Moms PH wins the most prestigious Grand Anvil at the 58th Anvil Awards

The entrepreneurship advocacy has helped thousands of mompreneurs succeed in their online home businesses amidst the COVI9-19 pandemic


PLDT Home’s Madiskarte Moms PH community won the Grand Anvil Award. In this photo (L-R): PRSP President Harold Geronimo, Stratworks Managing Director Mark Christian Parlade, PLDT Home’s Head of Digital Content Marketing Mabie Encarnacion, PLDT Home’s Manager for Fixed Wireless Postpaid Kat Yulo, PLDT Home’s AVP for Product Marketing (Digital Services) Janice Lagaso, PLDT Home’s Senior Manager for Marketing Communications Linette Garcia-Perez, PLDT Home’s Product Manager for Entertainment Tin Rementilla, PLDT Home’s PR Manager and Community Lead for MMPH Daphne Gripal, PLDT Home’s Digital Content Specialist Elaine Lara, Former DTI and DepEd Secretary and Alliance Global Group Independent Director Jesli A. Lapus, AVP and Head of PLDT Home Public Relations and Influencer Management Cheryl Maxine Loyola, PRSP Trustee and 58th Anvil Awards Chairperson Georgina “Joji” Banzon, and Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management President and CEO Justin Green

PLDT Home’s Madiskarte Moms PH (MMPH) online community won the prestigious Grand Anvil Award, the highest honors at the 58th Anvil Awards this year. The community’s first ever annual awards that celebrates exceptional mompreneurs, Gawad Madiskarte 2022, was also a recipient of a Gold Anvil Award under the PR tools category.

“We are humbled to have won the prestigious Grand Anvil Award for an advocacy that our brand truly believes in, and it’s made even more meaningful to have received the recognition on International Women’s Day,” said Cheryl P. Loyola, Assistant Vice President and Head of Public Relations and Influencer Management at PLDT Home.

“It is our privilege and honor to empower and support our hardworking, dedicated, and passionate mompreneurs. We are always committed to help them be financially independent and succeed in life by providing the fastest and most reliable PLDT Home broadband to power their online businesses,” she added.

MMPH is an online community launched at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic which had gravely affected many working Filipino women; some lost their jobs while some were forced to leave their work in order to focus on their domestic duties. Understanding the increasing financial responsibilities that their families face, PLDT Home and a group of Filipino moms launched Madiskarte Moms PH in September 2020. A Filipino term for someone resourceful, “madiskarte” fittingly captured the spirit of Filipino moms who took on the challenge of digital entrepreneurship amid the pandemic.

An online community for aspiring, starting, and experienced mother entrepreneurs or mompreneurs, MMPH aims to educate moms on how to successfully start, manage, or grow their business by providing them with information and resources; build a strong support system with like-minded moms in a safe online space; and empower them to succeed in their entrepreneurial journey through technology and skills training in partnership with industry leaders as well as providing them with business starter kits.

Madiskarte Moms PH also launched the first ever Gawad Madiskarte 2022: A Tribute to Outstanding Filipina Mompreneurs on Women’s Month last March 2022, which also won a Gold Anvil Award. It is an awards ceremony that recognizes exceptional mompreneurs who thrived despite the hardships brought about by the pandemic. MMPH honored mompreneurs who overcame challenges and flourished during these trying times.

Madiskarte Moms PH also previously won a Silver Stevie Award for Innovation in Community Relations or Public Relations at the 2022 Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards.

The Anvil Awards, presented by the Public Relations Society of the Philippines, is the "Oscars" of public relations in the country where they recognize the most excellent and outstanding PR programs and tools every year.
The Stratworks, Inc. and Playback team along with the PLDT Home PR and Influencer Management team

PLDT Home also bagged eight Anvil Awards for their impactful and meaningful campaigns and advocacies.


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