Get to know the 3 finalists of WOMED Award South 2024
March 26, 2024
Last month the jury of the WOMED Award South 2024 visited the businesses of the different Filipino entrepreneurs who were in the running for this award. After careful consideration, they decided on the top 3 finalists who will come to Belgium in May for the award ceremony.
festive company visits
The award jury was in The Philippines from February 28th to March 12th, touring the companies of the top 5 finalists. For those visits, the judges travelled the entire country: from Bicol region, Cavite province to Zamboanga Sibugay province in Mindanao.
Thanks to those visits, the judges got to know each entrepreneurial woman up close and learned more about her business and its impact on her family and community. The judges felt warmly welcomed for the entirety of their visits, which lasted 8 to 10 hours each. “The visits were very festive,” says Felipe Ramiro, regional director of Trias Southeast Asia, “which clearly shows how much the entrepreneurs are supported by their own communities.”
“The survival of the family is often in the hands of the woman”
Entrepreneurship in the Philippines comes with many challenges. Men earn significantly more than women, making it harder for women to be financially independent. “Yet the survival of the family is often in the hands of the woman”, says Gudrun Verschuere, chairwoman of Vrouwennet vzw and jury member of the WOMED Award South, “Filipino women have to do business in difficult circumstances. That is precisely why they are enormously resilient by turning little into something creative and start a business. They have all overcome challenges and keep looking for new solutions. That gives them a creative drive.”
Meet the 3 finalists of the WOMED Award 2024
After careful consideration, the jury decided on these top 3 finalists at the end of their trip:
dOMINGA ‘DAISY’ YOO
Daisy founded Bahi Enterprises in 2015, a company specialising in organic drinks based on ginger and turmeric. Her products are for sale all over the country and she successfully exports to the UK and New Zealand.
FLORICEL ‘CEL’ SANORJO
Floricel runs Sanorjo Rubberchair Recyclable Materials Manufacturing, a business producing tyre belts from old car tyres. Since the pandemic, she upcycles the tyres into beautiful furniture sets, which boosted her business.
Maria jae ‘dang’ mabansag
Maria Jae launched the seaweed farm Mabansag Buy and Sell Agar-Agar. She harvests, processes and sells seaweed. Moreover, she supports women in her community to grow their own seaweed so that they can be financially independent.
Who will win the WOMED Award South?
The 3 finalists will come to Belgium in mid-May. On May 15th, the winner will be announced for the Belgian public, and she will receive the award from Queen Mathilde. “Besides the celebration of the WOMED Award, the finalists will participate in some company visits, trainings and interesting networking moments with Belgian entrepreneurs and organisations”, says Ine Lippens, relationship manager at Trias. Follow us on social media to find out who the winner is.
What is the womed award south?
Every two years, since 2005, a woman entrepreneur from a country where Trias is active receives the WOMED Award South. With this award, Trias and Vrouwennet vzw want to boost and celebrate female entrepreneurship. The winner not only runs a thriving business, but also fulfils a crucial social role in her community.
