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The Great Women Brand Product Launch was held last March 19, 2013 at the Yuchengco Museum  as part of the museum’s Women’s Month Celebration.  For ECHOsi Foundation and the Philippine Commission on Women , the Great Women Brand is something intended to stay far beyond this month celebrated especially for women. From the looks of its offering, it might just succeed in doing that.

The Product Launch Night

Dubbed as “Great Women: Women Helping Women Up the Value Chain“, the Great Women Product Launch Night was hosted by Ms. PACITA JUAN, President of the  Women‘s Business Council of the Philippines.  Ms. YVONNE YUCHENGCO, Vice-Chair & Board Member of Yuchengco Museum provided the opening remarks while important messages were given by  H.E. CHRISTOPHER THORNLEY, Ambassador of Canada to the Philippines and Ms. REMEDIOS RIKKEN, Chairperson of the Philippine Commission on Women.

After an audio-visual presentation of the Great Women Program and Brand, Ms. JEANNIE JAVELOSA, President of  ECHOsi Foundation, Inc. introduced the Circle of Designers and Product Developers who have been helping the program participants improve their products to be ready for the upscale market.  Retail partnership MOA for market testing were signed with ECHOsi Foundation involving Tesoro’s represented by Ms. BENG TESORO and Milky Way Café represented by Ms. MALOU GAMBOA.

The viewing of Designer Showcase for the GREAT Women Brand came after.  Food tasting tables and cocktails were prepared featuring Chefs Tweet Ubsequieo & Anne Cecile Degenne of Sofitel Luxury Hotels and Chef Margarita Fores of Cibo & Lusso of the Women’s Business Council.  The exhibit at the Yuchengco Museum will be until April 6, 2013.

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Photo Credit: Chit Juan

The exhibit is intended to be a showcase of products, packaging design, and lifestyle products created by women entrepreneurs across the country.  Notable names include fashion designer Lulu Tan-Gan; product designer and paper artist Tes Pasola; jewelry, home accessories, and furniture designer Ann Pamintuan; fashion designer Lenora Cabili of Filip + Inna; Merchandiser and product developer Rambie Lim of Rurungan sa Tubod Foundation and shoe designer Maco Custodio; bag designer Renee Patron; jewelry designer Sen Sanchez; Food and product developers Reena Francisco, Chit Juan, Zarah Juan, and Lingling King; and Museum curator and artist Jeannie Javelosa. Inspiration from these names are just what the small women producers need to help them  move up the value chain.