Christmas 2012

A Special Christmas Message for our dear friends, clients, volunteers, donors, and supporters:

It's that time of year again . . . It's a few days before Christmas and we at G&G find ourselves yet again rushing and cramming. We are putting the last ribbon on the last order, fluffing the throwpillows that are going to Robinson's, and our own gifts are almost ready to go. As we prepare to close shop for our traditional shutdown for a much needed rest, we look back on 2012 with much gratefulness. This year we celebrated Women's Month, joined Manila FAME, opened in Robinson's Magnolia and Ermita, and partnered with Globe for capacity building, among other things.

We say thanks and a prayer for our many blessings, including the privilege of doing what we do. And of course we say thanks and a prayer for you our clients, volunteers, donors, and friends for your continued support. We wish you a blessed holiday season and many blessings for the New Year! And we're looking forward to seeing you again next year, the Mayan calendar prediction notwithstanding, refreshed, recharged, and raring to do it all over again in 2013!

Many Thanks,
G&G

What's new in Robinsons

Gifts & Graces is proud to announce our new retail location at Robinsons Place Manila located in Ermita.

You will find a large range of our products in the Philippine Crafts section located on Level 3 of the Robinsons Department Store.

Last night the G&G team went to the mall after hours to set up our area and design our product displays. We are very excited about this new retail venue as it will provide greater exposure for our communities' products. As 100% of our profits go back to continually enhance our workers' skills and make their efforts sustainable we have high hopes of impacting many more lives.

Available in store now are our iconic handpainted newspaper bags, Potrero collection, T'boli bell charms, Retaso collection, our new Bayawak keychains and many more items.

Robinsons Place Manila
Pedro Gil Street

Mall Hours Are
Sunday to Thursday 10:00am to 9:00pm
Friday to Saturday 10:00am to 10:00pm

More photos can be found at
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150209214469987.66415.23239344986&type=1

Corporate Giveaways

 

Gifts and Graces recently participated in two expos at the SMX Convention Centre in Pasay. One was the League of Corporate Foundations CSR Expo 2012 and the other the Corporate Giveaways 2012 Expo. Both Expos gave us the opportunity to showcase our story, work and products to a wide array of visitors from different backgrounds and industries. 

Businesses are increasingly seeing the value in giving back to the community in one way or another, with a lot of our clients choosing to purchase products through Gifts & Graces because they know their money is going towards impacting communities in a positive way. If you have any giveaway requirements for an upcoming event (eg. bags, folders, gifts) do contact us to discuss your ideas.

WFTO Asia Fair Trade Dinner 2012

World Fair Trade Organization ASIA (WFTO ASIA) and World Fair Trade Organization Philippines are hosting a “Fair Trade Dinner” where guests can “Enjoy a meaningful dinner, and savor Fair Trade Fine Food” to culminate the week-long celebration of the Social Enterprises Week and the World Fair Trade Day at the Cocoon Boutique Hotel on Monday May 28, 2012 at 7:00 pm. 


The event aims to showcase and promote Fair Trade food, crafts and social enterprise groups whilst bringing together key personalities in the government, business and NGO sectors.


Tickets are priced at Php 800 (single) Php 1,500 (double) and Php 7,000 (table - group of 10). Dinner tickets must be purchased in advance at World Fair Trade Organization ASIA by emailing fairtradedinner@gmail.com or calling at (632) 415 2219.

ADB Civil Society's Solutions Market

Gifts & Graces was invited to take part in the Asian Development Bank's 45th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors. Running from the 2 May to 5 May, the meeting sought to bring together ministers of finance & development, bankers, private sector representatives, civil society and media to discuss a broad range of issues linked poverty alleviation.

On 3 May, the ADB's Civil Society Program in conjunction with the Asia Society for Social Improvement and Sustainable Transformation (ASSIST) and the Global Shapers organized a Solutions Market, showcasing “Innovations Shaping the Future of Development in Asia and the Pacific.” We were granted the opportunity to showcase our work amongst some terrific NGOs and programs working not only around the country, but in other parts of the wider Asian region as well.

Our Executive Director Greg Perez presented on some of our work and experiences. Other presenters on the day included Sen. Chiz Escudero who spoke on “Inspiring Leadership and Youth,” Richard “Dick” Gordon (Chairman of the Philippine Red Cross) and members of the World Economic Forum's Global Shapers Manila Hub; mentor Karen Davila, Mayor Pie Alvarez, Ponce Ernest Samaniego, Dr. Bryan Albert Lim, Bianca Gonzalez, Eric Pasion, Mildred Ople & Eleanor Pinugu.

It was definitely an inspiring few days listening to thoughts and stories about development, time to get back to work and help to make it happen!

Amazing Women: Ms. Cielo Bueno

The Dream Lives On

Ms. Cielo Bueno – Founder/Prime Mover Kaakbay Entre-Worker Cooperative

16 years ago, Ms. Cielo and 15 women dreamed to put up a company which they themselves will own. They joined hands and formed a pioneering organization-model called Entrepreneur-Worker Cooperative where each member’s work input/output is her stake in the cooperative. Unlike a savings and loan cooperative, this cooperative involved no cash outlay; only dedication and commitment to work were needed.

The primary objective of the cooperative was to provide employment and social security for its members and their families and to ensure economic sustainability of the business enterprise. These, Kaakbay, has achieved and many times, has helped a network of community-based women organizations during periods when demand for Kaakbay's products are high. Ms. Cielo is especially happy to say that many of the children of members have become professionals and have graduated from college and high school. The members enjoy benefits such as membership in Medicare and SSS and profit sharing.

Why Kaakbay? Ms. Cielo explains that the cooperative is there to help each other and other women be economically sufficient. To this end, Kaakbay means – somebody one walks with, a companion, a partner, someone one can trust to accompany you “sa hirap at ginhawa”. To date, there are 50 co-worker/co-owner members who operate the cooperative which has expanded its market operation in Metro Manila and to adjoining cities and provinces.

Kaakbay is a unique business entity as only members have “stocks and stock options”, meaning, the workers are also the owners. It is a social enterprise that empowers marginalized groups (especially women groups). It manufactures filing-systems products (arch-file binders, flexi-fillers, 3-ring binders) thus responding to the filing and organizing needs and requirements of mainstream business. It also provides assessment and solution-options for cost effective, space saving management of paper documents.

“I am proud to say that the cooperative has been successfully replicated in Tabaco City, Albay (Kaakbay San Lorenzo EWC) and in Calamba City, Laguna (Kaakbay Calabarzon EWC). We have tried to replicate the cooperative in other areas but I guess, they are not yet ready. In time, we will revive these dormant cooperatives and make them responsive to the needs of women in the area where they are located.

“Why women? Because women are the ones keeping the family together and, making these women economically self-sufficient will ensure that the family remains intact and the children are cared for. To this end, Gifts and Graces assists us by carrying our products to where they are better exposed and better known to the buying public. If more people buy our products, this cooperative of women will endure”.

Amazing Women: Ms. Mel Nuqui

From the Rising Sun to Breaking DAWN

Ms. Mel Nuqui – Helping Filipino Migrants and their Children from Japan

Ms. Mel was first exposed to returning Filipino workers from Japan and their children when she worked with a foundation which helped these migrant workers. Working with these displaced workers she learned to understand and to empathize with the plight, travails and emotional upheaval these women were undergoing. Unfortunately, her stint with the foundation was short-lived.

In 1996, Ms. Mel, with friends, decided to set up DAWN, symbolizing a new beginning. From that acronym came, Development Action for Women Network.

DAWN is a non-government development organization established to assist returning Filipino women migrants from Japan and their Japanese-Filipino children by promoting and protecting their human rights and welfare. Its programs include the provision of psycho-social interventions especially for women entertainers, the establishment of alternative livelihood programs, the implementation of extensive and effective research, education and advocacy campaigns and network and linkage building with other concerned groups on women, children and migration issues.

Since its founding, Ms. Mel has devoted her energies towards the success of DAWN's programs and advocacy. She created opportunities and activities which will empower these women and help them adjust and reintegrate into mainstream Philippine society. Her JFC are growing and experiencing the angst, pain and struggles of a bi-cultural background. Through DAWN, she developed programs and activities for them. These efforts are bearing fruit and the children know that they are loved, cherished and appreciated regardless of parentage.

The stories of the women migrant workers are being documented. The Philippine Migrants Rights Watch (PMRW) and DAWN have published them in 3 volumes (so far) “Migrants' stories; Migrants' voices”. It is hoped that readers of these stories will better understand and appreciate our migrant Filipino workers – their situation, their needs and what they go through in order to give their families a better life. Theirs is not always a success story, there are many broken dreams.

DAWN has many programs and Ms. Mel, as Executive Director, has her hands full. Sikap-Buhay (SIKHAY), its alternative livelihood program, helps the re-integration of returned migrant women into Philippine society through its components of weaving, sewing and cosmetology/wellness, thus enabling them and their families regain and strengthen their sense of dignity and self-worth. Through its skills training and entrepreneurial orientation, market support program and livelihood formation support opportunities, Ms. Mel and DAWN have helped countless returning women workers re-establish themselves as useful and economically viable components of Philippine society. Through Gifts and Graces, the products of DAWN members are marketed to a wider audience.

Amazing Women: Teresita L. Silva

It’s in the Genes – the Legacy Lives on

Teresita L. Silva - Keeping Children Off the Streets

Ma’am Silva, as she is fondly called by her staff, has been exposed to social work since she was that high! Her mother, Felicidad Alvarez of the Alvarez clan of Roxas City, Capiz, was the first professional social worker with a master’s degree in the Philippines. The degree is from the Catholic University in the United States. Ms. Silva herself took advanced post graduate pre-doctoral courses at the Columbia University School of Social Work. Her master’s degree in social work is from the National Catholic School of Social Work.

Tagging along with her mom to the various church-based social work commitments, Ms. Silva developed an affinity for working with the less privileged sector of society. Seeing how her mom’s work helped the communities where she devoted time and effort, Ms. Silva observed how community organizing alleviated family economic conditions and imbibed the humanitarian and compassionate nature of her mom. Seeing the need for income opportunities for developing communities, Ms. Silva, in her own time, and through her own foundations, developed programs and services to help families keep their children off the streets.

Ms. Silva has three foundations, interrelated and held together by the belief that children should be kept safe and protected at all times. These are all non-stock service foundations that bring together government agencies, NGOs and community volunteers to promote social and economic development in depressed areas of Districts 5 & 6 of Manila through community-based services. The family, especially the mothers, are given opportunities to augment the family income so they will not need to send the children to beg in the streets.

Child Hope Asia Philippines Foundation focuses on street children. These children are taught skills for life, values and through the Department of Education’s Alternative Learning System Program with its accredited modules and programs reaches out to street children and teaches them basic education. At present, Child Hope is in 20 areas in Districts 5 & 6 of Manila and has more than 300 street children in attendance. There are success stories here and Ms. Silva is proud to introduce her children who have become teachers and coordinators themselves.

The Tahanan Sta. Luisa Crisis Intervention Center Foundation concerns itself with street girls and sexually abused girls. The programs are geared towards psycho-social activities which help these girls.

The Families and Children for Empowerment and Development Foundation, Inc. (FCED) ties together the three programs held dear by Ms. Silva who believes that when the family is strong and is economically stable, the children grow in an atmosphere conducive to learning and becoming a useful and responsible member of society.

The Foundations’ main mission is to provide opportunities for the education, skills training & increased income of children, youth and their families. In this endeavor, Gifts and Graces is a major help in bringing the products of the mothers to a bigger market and a wider clientele base.

These Foundations are close to Ms. Silva’s heart and has been her life project. Her staff and many volunteers look up to her for guidance and inspiration. As one volunteer, a former streetchild who benefited from the Foundation and now a Doctor of Medicine says, “Ms. Silva inspires us with her passion and dedication to the welfare of the children and their family”.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Families_and_Children_for_Empowerment_and_Development

Amazing Women: Celerina Zabala

 From Nomads to Community – the Quest of the Holy Spirit

Sister Celerina Zabala - Missionary Sister of the Servants of the Holy Spirit

35 years ago, in 1974, the Missionary Sisters of the Servants of the Holy Spirit arrived in Sitio Paitan, Naujan, (a town very near Calapan), Oriental, Mindoro, to spread the Good News and the love of Jesus Christ to the Alangan Mangyans of the sitio.

Sister Magdalena Laykamm pioneered the evangelization and community building. She stayed and lived with the Mangyan community, learned their language, their culture, their way of life. She planted the seed which encouraged the natives to stay and build a community. The sisters were assisted in their missionary work by the SVD priests, particularly Father Edwald Dinter.

Other sisters came and left their mark in the process of community building. Sister Victricia Pascasio was a main player in their struggle for the registration of their land as their ancestral domain.

Little by little, the community grew – from a few families coming to the mission to now more than a hundred families coming together as one community. The Mission has established a school which teaches academic subjects from the Mangayan perspective.

Sister Celerina reminisces :“Hindi naman kaagad agad kami welcome ng Alangan Mangyans. Many of them ran away when we first came, went further up the mountain and refused to have anything to do with us. But the sisters persevered and now, much improvement can be seen in health, sanitation, economic endeavors, especially in education. The death rate caused by ignorance and dirty surroundings has gone down”

Sister Celerina observes “the Mangyans have stopped the kaingin and have learned to harness their culture to produce the distinctive black and white woven products. Unfortunately, they do not have a written language and when the elders pass away, there will be no one to remember. Maybe that will be the next project of the Mission”.

“The wives/mothers will be tapped to spearhead this project. The women of Alangan Mangyan are strong and serve as partners in any family endeavor. They are the bearers of tradition and culture. They teach the crafts, bring in extra income for the family through the products they derive from the farm, forests and the environment around them and, most important, the women keep the family intact. They are the homemakers”.

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Sister Celerina visits the mission twice a month – to ensure that the women continue their homemaking duties and responsibilities. To facilitate the marketing of the Alangan Mangyan products, the Mission links with agencies such as Gifts and Graces which bring their products to the attention of the market. “Gifts and Graces is a big help to the Mission because not only does it market our products but also assists us in product quality control”.

These days, Sister Celerina is kept busy by her mission work with the women of Alangan Mangyan and by the “little” store the Mission has set up at 48 Valley Road, Q. C. (02 7270324) where the products of their communities are proudly displayed and sold. Sister Celerina truly is on a mission for her beloved Alangan Mangyans.

Amazing Women: Haydee Panhilason

Sharing Knowledge and Skills to Generate Wealth

Haydee Panhilason – “Gusto ko pag umangat, sama-sama”

“I come from a poor family where everyone had to do his/her share of work to ensure that the family survives. With this background, I endeavored to learn what I could, when I could and where I could”.

"I come from Negros (Occidental) where the main source of livelihood is to be a sacada worker. I am lucky because the owners of the hacienda where my family served are good and had the welfare of their workers at heart. They sent me to school”. So reveals Haydee Panhilason about her youth.

Given this background, Haydee took advantage of opportunities to learn, learn, learn. She attended seminars, training programs, asked people how things are done – she was not afraid to let people know she hungered for knowledge. What she learned, she shared - her knowledge and her skills. Soon, she was tapped to be a trainor’s trainer. Haydee underwent training to be a trainor and at present, she is on call at the Technology Learning and Resource Center as a professional trainor. On her own, Haydee has trained a group of women who could take her place when the need arises.

Haydee enjoys what she does – bringing opportunities to people, especially mothers, to earn and augment the family income. She has taught mothers in her neighborhood the art of sewing and the discipline of good work. “Kailangan maayos ang trabajo kasi pagpaulit-ulit, waste yon ng time and resources. When I first approached the mothers here, they were not doing anything productive so I told them I will teach them skills so they will earn something. They were willing to do that because I provide the raw materials and their finished product, I buy. Every group I approach, I give at least one month to show me that they are serious about what they are doing. If after a month and I see that they do not have the interest, I go to another group”. Haydee proudly shows off the products of her seminars and training of the mothers in the neighborhood. She has a display store in Payatas, Quezon City where people can buy products of her small communities.

Haydee has gone beyond training of communities. While she still does training, she has also formed a group of trained trainors. Her group of trainors go around the country giving seminars, training sessions during the times that Haydee cannot go herself. She is quite happy that on their own, these women trainors are earning incomes which augment their family income. While she has nothing against men trainors, she finds women trainors more receptive to the needs of the communities and more patient in dealing with them.

When first linked with Gifts and Graces, she told her communities to do their best because they are linked with G & G which will bring their products to SM. “Imagine sa Kultura idedisplay ang work ninyo, kaya pag-igihan ninyo. Hindi lahat ng communities may pagkakataong madiplay ang produkto sa Kultura. For that, I am grateful to Gifts and Graces”.

As Haydee looks back to her experiences and life as a trainor, Haydee looks forward to going back to her roots in Victorias, Negros Occidental where she believes her skills and knowledge are needed. As her way of giving back to the community where she was nurtured as a child, she will bring the opportunity for a better life to her community. She no longer has pressing concerns in Manila since she has fulfilled her obligations to her family – her children being of age and have now stable jobs; her husband readily supportive of her plans. Her success in bringing livelihood opportunities to others has brought fulfillment to her heart. As she says, “What makes my job worthwhile is being a major part of their (the communities she has trained) overall success”.

“Gusto ko kasi, pag umangat, sama-sama (ang lahat)”.

- Gifts & Graces is proud to bring you the first of five inspiring stories showcasing our women leaders. 

National Women's Month: Amazing Women Exhibit

As part of National Women's Month, Gifts & Graces in conjuction with SM Supermalls' SM Cares program is holding a month long exhibit celebrating the stories of 5 women leaders from our community partners. The women include Cielo Bueno of the Kaakbay Entre-workers Cooperative, Sr. Celerina of The Holy Spirit, Haydee Panhilason of Heidie's Crafts, Mel Nuqui of DAWN and FCED President Ms. Teresita Silva; all highly inspirational women that are helping to change lives through their organisations.

The exhibit entitled, "Amazing Women: Women On a Mission to Empower and Nurture," launched yesterday at SM Southmall (to coincide with International Women's Day) and will run until Friday March 16. On 19 March the exhibit will move to SM Megamall for one week until 23 March. Finally the exhibit will be at SM Mall of Asia from 26 March until 31 March.

Highlights of the exhibit include inspirational talks given by the women leaders, demonstrations of fabric weaving and bag making, craft activities as well as an Expression Wall where you can leave your special message for the important women in your life. Do come and support G&G at this special event, you can even purchase your favorite G&G products at the exhibit's bazaar.

We will also be posting the stories of our women leaders right here on our blog throughout the month.

V-day awww inspiring cheesy lines

For this season of hearts, G&G put up a special window display.

On our other window we wrote cheesy pick up lines and our neighbors in Mile Long joined in on the fun. The best ones win a special prize.

Here are a few of the ones we like:

Dalawang beses lang kita mamahalin: now and forever -tim 118

Hindi ka naman camera pero sa tuwing nakikita kita napapangiti ako -marlyn

Sabi nila what you see is what you get. Eh paano ba yan nakita na kita e d akin ka na -niki
 
Here are some from our friends on Facebook

Bagyo ka ba? kasi the moment you left my heart was in a state of calamity - Danie

Aren’t you tired? cos you’ve been running through my head all day. :) - Ponce

and from Vincent - “Pwede mo ba akong samahan?” “Saan?” “..habambuhay..” ;)

Finally, not an entry but from a photo in SUBTLEtumbles: If you were ice cream you would be my favorite flavor. 

And from the sea of love blog: By the way, I'm wearing the smile you gave me.


Sweet stuff! Give your loved one a special G&G gift and maybe one of these cheesy lines!

Happy V-day!

Ex Libris: From the G&G team's bookshelves

This month in our special feature Ex Libris, Latin for from the books, we once again peek into the bookshelves of the G&G team. This month, Greg and Aun share their recommendations:






On Strategy

What Every CEO Needs to Know About Nonmarket Strategy by David Bach & David Bruce Allen.  

I enjoyed reading this paper because the concept of nonmarket strategy extends the concept of Porter's Five Forces and says that leaders should take into consideration the political, social, and policy environments and create opportunities in them.  One of my favorite examples of non market

strategy is Toyota's steps to influence policy around the use of hybrid cars. They successfully lobbied for the passing of a law in California to allow hybrid cars to use the carpool lane even with only the driver in it. By looking at and shaping their nonmarket, Toyota was able to create an environment that boosted sales of the Prius. What nonmarket forces impact the competitive advantage of your enterprise? 

- Greg

On History 

At Home: A Short History of Private Life by Bill Bryson 

A fascinating look, through the lens of history, at the modern house and all the things we seem to fill them with. Bill Bryson books are a must for those who love to find out random facts about everything 

- Aun

Happy Reading!

Conversations

A Conversation with Ms. Sandy Romualdez

For our next batch of Conversations we bring you chat sessions between Lexi Schulze, Associate Features Editor of Metro Society and several of our board members. These interviews were conducted in line with Shopping for a Cause, Lexi's article about Gifts and Graces which came out in Metro Society's October 2011 issue. 

Here we're proud and happy to share with you the highlights of Lexi's chat with Sandy, G&G's Founder and President.

LS: Were you always into outreach growing up? 

SR: My school Assumption instilled in me a strong sense of social responsibility. We had many outreach programs and immersions The one that had a strong impact in my life was an immersion we had in Baguio....I experienced how a farmer lived. Although it was only for a week it opened my eyes to social realities in a faith experience.

LS: How did you get involved with Gifts and Graces?

SR: The idea of the foundation germinated when I was taking up my Masters in Development Management. I discovered that many foundation put up livelihood programs to help people out of poverty but have difficulty selling and marketing these goods to the public. This is where we thought Gifts and Graces could help.

LS: Why is the organization called Gifts and Graces?

SR: Mariles Gustilo , who's one of the most creative people...she and her team at Lowe helped us develop not only a name but also a branding identity for the foundation. We loved the name Gifts and Graces because it captures what we do in the foundation.... "with every gift purchased you share your graces with those in need

G&G in Metro Magazine October 2011 issue

The October 2011 issue was Metro Society's Advocacy Issue. Much of the issue was devoted to different advocates and their causes. We are proud to say that G&G was featured here twice!

On page 122, Associate Beauty Editor Marichelle Ligon and Photographer Tinee de Guzman wrote about Gifts and Graces and "a graceful partnership between entrepreneurs and local communities. . ." The article featured the different G&G products photographed in our showroom including modern Filipino foldable overnight bags with native woven cloth accents, picnic baskets made out of directory pages, stuffed toys made out of high end upholstery retaso and many more.

On page 151, Metro Society asks "If you could change the world. . ." and talks to people and corporations who, insteadof waiting for others to fix it, lend a hand and even help other change the world. This section features Gifts and Graces once more. This time Associate Features Editor Lexi Schulze and Photographer Pat Mateo captured the Gifts and Graces social entrepreneurs together with more G&G products - agate bag charms, luggage tags, and our very popular handpainted newspaper bags.

In line with this article, Lexi talked to different G&G board members. Read our other blog post featuring Lexi's conversation with Sandy Romualdez.

We'd like to give special thanks to Editor-in-Chief Raul Manzano who in his Editor's letter said

          "Gifts and Graces operates on a smaller scale (as PBSP), yet it is just as important. Established some five years ago to help poor communities. . .by producing crafts for the home, accessories, toys,. . .Gifts and Graces not only gives these communities steady income, but more importantly, a reason to hold their heads high and be proud, functioning members of society."

And this reflects how we feel about our partners as well, we are proud with how far they've come and we are happy to be part of their journey towards breaking the cycle of poverty.

Thanks again to Raul, Marichelle, Lexi, and the team at Metro Society for believing in Gifts and Graces and helping us promote our cause! Cheers!