PH Consulate General in LA Conducts Women’s Entrepreneurship Forum in Los Angeles
Consul General Adelio Angelito S. Cruz delivers his opening remarks in the Women’s Entrepreneurship Forum on 11 December 2018. (Los Angeles PCG photo)
LOS ANGELES 08 January 2019 — More than 100 participants, composed of women leaders, entrepreneurs, and business owners attended the Women’s Entrepreneurship Forum organized and hosted by the Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles on 11 December 2018 at the Crowne Plaza Los Angeles Airport Hotel.
In his welcome remarks, Consul General Adelio Angelito S. Cruz declared that women’s economic empowerment is considered one of the areas of investment that shows the most potential and promise. Consul General Cruz also invited the audience to raise awareness on the 18-Day Campaign to End Violence Against Women.
Community Business Director Sonya Kay Blake of Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti’s Office of Economic Development presented the resources available in the city for women entrepreneurs, and touted the city’s initiative called LA Women Mean Business launched on Women’s Entrepreneurship Day on 19 November 2018.
Los Angeles is one of the major cities in the United States along with New York, Philadelphia and Chicago, which declared November 19 as Women’s Entrepreneurship Day.
Small Business Majority Deputy Director Xiomara Pena gave a brief summary of their organization’s resources and explained the process of getting certified as a woman-owned business.
Vice Consul Dyan Kristine Miranda Pastrana gave a brief overview of the forum and the Consulate General’s Gender and Development (GAD) program. In her remarks, she highlighted the Philippines’ ranking in the top ten in the Global Gender Gap Index, and the importance of promoting gender and development and women empowerment.
The forum’s first panel discussion was entitled Women Change Makers, which was moderated by Entrepinayship founder Anna Marie Cruz. The panelists were entrepreneur and inventor Kalika Joy Nacion Yap, Café 86 owner Ginger Lim-Dimapasok, Genever LA owner and founder Christine Sumiller, and Lay Bare Salon owner and founder of Fiona Hilario.
The second panel discussion was on Starting Your Business, which was moderated by The Park’s Finest founder Christine Araquel-Concordia. The panelists were McLeod & Associates founder and owner Mia McLeod, Crème Caramel LA owner Kristine de la Cruz, Ladies of Sound founder Maricel Sison, and Ninong’s Pastries owners Carissa Ortega.
The well-attended forum and workshop is a project of Consulate General’s Gender and Development (GAD) section, in coordination with Entrepinayship and Women’s Entrepreneurship Day Organization (WEDO). END
For more information, visit www.philippineconsulatela.org or https://www.facebook.com/PHLinLA.
From left: Entrepreneur and inventor Kalika Joy Nacion Yap, Community Business Director Sonya Kay Blake of Los Angeles City Mayor Eric Garcetti’s Office of Economic Development, and Vice Consul Dyan Kristine Miranda Pastrana. (Los Angeles PCG photo)
From left: Consul General Adelio Angelito S. Cruz, Vice Consul Andrea Lazaro, Vice Consul Dyan Kristine Miranda Pastrana, owner of Lay Bare Salon Fiona Hilario, owner of Café 86 Ginger Lim-Dimapasok, founder of Entrepinayship Anna Marie Cruz, co-owner and founder of Genever LA Christine Sumiller, entrepreneur and inventor Kalika Nacion Yap, Small Business Majority Deputy Director Xiomara Pena, and Consul Rea Oreta. (Los Angeles PCG photo)
From left: Consul General Cruz; Vice Consul Pastrana; Consul Oreta, owner of Crème Caramel LA Kristine de la Cruz, founder of Ladies of Sound Maricel Sison, co-owner and co-founder of The Park’s Finest Christine Araquel-Concordia, owner of Ninong’s Pastries Carissa Ortega, owner of McLeod & Associates Mia McLeod,Ms. Cruz; Ms. Peña; and Vice Consul Lazaro. (Los Angeles PCG photo)