• Bigayang Bayan is a small straw bag business Marlyn Bragas started with her neighbors with a capital of only P500 and a little creativity. They bought some straw, and made them into cute and fashionable bags. Marlyn has been featured on GMA 7's Hanep Buhay, which later introduced her to ECHOstore where the bags are now sold
• Sto. Rosario Multipurpose Cooperative is composed of housewives who make handicrafts and accessories from recycled paper and cartons.
• Cultura Verde Footwear is run by a group of graduates from Ateneo de Manila University that has designed shoes with soles fashioned from old airplane tires. Instead of contributing to the dumpsite problem, these tires are now being recycled. The shoes are not only lightweight, but durable. They come with old katsa bags (flour sacks) that are sewn and tie-dyed by housewives in a small town in Samar.
  

L to R: Reena, Chit, Sir Stephen Bubb, and Jeannie at ECHOstore, showing off Philippine community products

July saw us in Nueva Ecija, Pangasinan, and Baguio. We used to call these trips ECHOvisits--our periodic personal appearances at our suppliers and cooperatives' offices, showrooms, and workshops. But everywhere we went, we were fed. In Nueva Ecija, Mrs. Joson of Kababaihang Masigla ng Nueva Ecija (KMNE) prepared a spread of macopa salad, tinapang tilapia, and sinigang. In Batista, Pangasinan, we were fed puto calasiao and fresh buko juice. After these two northern Luzon visits, we started to call our trips ECHO Viseats. In Baguio, we ate sayote tops salad at the country club, courtesy of Mr. and Mrs. Manny Javelosa (our untiring host for our Baguio Country Club stays); and visited Hill Station, where our friend, Mitos, has set up a restaurant.

So, in August, we went south to the Family Farm School not far from Taal Lake, and saw how they made sardines from the lake's famous tawilis fish. We then visited Anihan Technical School, where a Bureau of Food and Drug (BFAD)-compliant industrial kitchen prepares institutional orders of polvoron, fruitcake, and other baked goods. Next was a long drive to Cavite for ECHOfarms. Our staff had never been to the farm, so we gave them the opportunity to pick organic vegetables and eat them off the ground. We were served tarragon tea as we had our merienda of Spanish bread and pan de coco. Our final stop was at Talleres de Nazareth in Rosario, Cavite, where we saw firsthand how our tahong chips, squid heads, and squid rings were made.

Team ECHOstore with Edna Siscar (seated third from right), Director of the Family Farm School

The ECHOtrio with the movers of the Family Farm School

Team ECHOstore at a visit to Ilog Maria Honeybee Farms

The ECHO Viseats filled not only our tummies, but our souls when we heard of the stories of how these enterprises started--all with a mission to do good, help the underprivileged and marginalized, and build a social enterprise.

Natural Food Expo East
Baltimore, USA
September 20 - 25

Jeannie, on behalf of ECHOstore, was invited and hosted by the Organic Trade Association in the United States (US) to attend the Natural Food Expo West. Two years ago, the US Department of Agriculture invited ECHOstore to the trade show. Chit flew in from San Francisco, where she was attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Women's Forum, to join Jeannie.

L to R: Nutiva Founder and CEO John Ruolac, Chit, United Natural Foods CEO Michael Funk, and Jeannie

Having been to both the East and West Coast version of the product expo, Jeannie and Chit now had a good idea of the scope of American natural and organic product lines. One of their finds were American products that make use of Philippine coconuts. One of the brands, Nutiva--which was established by passionate organic advocate John Roulac--sells superfoods from hemp, coconut, and chia (a seed from the mint family). John flies to and from Davao to source his coconut products such as coconut oil, butter, and cream, which tastes very much like our latik. John was clearly stating that we need to plant more coconut trees. We agree!

Global Women Vendors Exhibition and Forum
Chongqing, China
September 27 - 29

From Baltimore, Jeannie and Chit met up again in Chongqing, China. They were both invited (Jeannie for ECHOstore Sustainble Lifestyle, under the industry category of Textiles; and Chit for Le Bistro Sustainable Coffee) for the first-ever Global Women Vendors Exhibition and Forum, a global platform on sourcing for women vendors.

L to R: Chit, SGV Senior Adviser and Ambassador Delia Albert, Chonqing Chamber of Commerce Chair Liu Qingrui, and Jeannie

Many Fortune 500 companies are taking their supplier diversity programs global to actively source from women in target markets. As sourcing is no longer local or national, this presents an enormous opportunity for women from around the world to sell into global supply chains, including women from developing and transition economies. Out of 700 companies, only 70 were chosen; and ECHOstore Sustainable Lifestyle and Le Bistro Sustainable Coffee were chosen to participate from the Philippines.

L to R: Meg Jones of ITC's Women and Trade Program, Monique Ward of Accenture's Asia Pacific Procurement, Chit, Phyllis Jones of the International Women's Coffee Alliance, and SGV Senior Adviser and Ambassador Delia Albert

We were introduced to companies such as Walmart, Marriott, Accenture, and other international groups and businesses with opportunities for Filipinos to bring community textiles, goods, and coffee to the global market.

Jeannie (third from right) at the Fellowship Dinner with Walmart buyer Ed Priddy (center), New York-based businesswoman Tes Mateo (second from left), and women business owners from India and Dubai.

In July, Chit spoke about coffee at the General Santos Chamber of Commerce.

In August, Jeannie gave a talk on "Green Jobs" at the 1st Green Jobs Conference, and on "Social Enterprise and Social Responsibility for a Sustainable Life" at the Centro Escolar University's School of Education, Liberal Arts, and Music.

Chit, on the other hand, moderated a session on "Sustainability in Food and Beverage Establishments" at the Meetings, Incentive Travel, Conventions, Exhibitions & Events (MICE) Philippine Conference in Cebu; and talked on "Social Entrepreneurship and Marketing" at the Great Women Project of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) in Davao and again in Manila.

In September, Chit spoke on topics such as "Innovative Thinking" with SunPower Corporation, "Sustainable Living" for Women in Travel, and "Coffee and Supply Chain Management in Food and Beverage" at the Philippine Institute for Supply Management.