06 July 2015 – The Department of Foreign Affairs Ladies’ Foundation (DFALF) and the Office of Personnel and Administrative Services (OPAS) launched their joint Gender and Development (GAD) project entitled “Ladies Who Lunch” on June 29 at the DFA Summit Lounge, with the talk “Beyond the Terno: Weaving and Wearing Filipino Diversity” by Filip+Inna founder and creative director Len Cabili.

Ladies Who Lunch is a lunchtime talk series that aims to debunk the idea of women engaging in idle chatter over a fancy meal by bringing in guest speakers to engage DFA’s women personnel in meaningful discussion on issues relevant to them.

The inaugural event was attended by close to a hundred DFA personnel, led by Undersecretary for Administration Linglingay Lacanlale.

Ms. Cabili shared her experience working with women from several indigenous groups in the Philippines, such as the T’boli, the Gadang, the Maranao and the Sama, to create fashion-forward Filipiniana clothing. Her clothing line, Filip+Inna, has helped these groups revive traditional arts such as embroidery, beadwork, and weaving by serving as a bridge between them and the international market.

The attendees came away with a greater appreciation of the diversity of designs and patterns that could go into Filipiniana wear.

DFALF President Maria Fe Pangilinan thanked Ms. Cabili and expressed the hope that her inspiring talk would set the tone for future sessions of Ladies Who Lunch. END