APEC

Entrepreneur Myrna T. Yao (Global FWN100™ '15) Shares Her Global Vision of Women in Business in Exclusive ABS-CBN Interview

Entrepreneur Myrna T. Yao (Global FWN100™ '15) Shares Her Global Vision of Women in Business in Exclusive ABS-CBN Interview

Myrna T. Yao, CEO of Richprime Global Inc. (Global FWN™ '15) got her first entrepreneurial start at her family's sari-sari store and selling accessories to her classmates in Bicol.  She now heads Richwell Trading,  a leader in distribution and retail of branded consumer goods in the Philippines. Yao was recently interviewed by ABS-CBN where she shared meaningful insight on micro-entrepreneurship as the chairperson of the Philippine Commission on Women. In support of women's entrepreneurship, Yao shared, “if you have an idea, don’t wait, and if you’re afraid to make mistakes, mistakes will make you learn and will make you grow. So any problem that comes, you just have to face it and then you will learn from it and you will grow from it. And then you will be a better person and a better entrepreneur." Watch the video interview after the jump.

President Obama Plays Opportunity Matchmaker For Filipina Engineer, Aisa Mijeno

President Obama Plays Opportunity Matchmaker For Filipina Engineer, Aisa Mijeno

Filipina Electrochemist Aisa Mijeno, inventor of SALt (Sustainable Alternative Lighting) an LED lamp that runs on seawater, recently met with President Obama for an opportunity of a lifetime at APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation). Mijeno shared a stage with Obama and Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.’s Jack Ma where she introduced her unique lamp concept which avoids the hazards of a combustible fuel and can last up to six months. The platform shone a spotlight on various Filipino start-ups and will undoubtedly bring in funding and collaborative opportunities for Mijeno.

News story from Bloomberg Business.

U.S. Efforts to Support Women's Economic Empowerment in APEC Economies FACT SHEET

U.S. Efforts to Support Women's Economic Empowerment in APEC Economies FACT SHEET

U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues Catherine Russell led the U.S. delegation to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Women and the Economy Fora September 15 – 18, in Manila, Philippines. While in the Philippines, Ambassador Russell launched several U.S.-led initiatives and made joint commitments with other APEC officials that will empower women to play larger roles in the APEC economies.

The U.S. delegation included representatives from a number of U.S. agencies, including the Department of State, USAID, the Department of Labor, and the Small Business Administration. The United States was also represented by the private sector, including Google, Care.com, BSR, C&M International, Black Girls Code, The Filipina Women’s Network (FWN CEO & Founder Marily Mondejar), George Mason University, and ACG Inc.

Initiatives led by the United States focus on data collection, women’s entrepreneurship, women’s health and its relation to economic participation, leadership, and women in transportation. They are implemented with support from the State Department, as well as the U.S.-APEC Technical Assistance to Advance Regional Integration (US-ATAARI) activity, a project with funding and strategic direction from the State Department and technical oversight and management from USAID.
 

Fact Sheet Courtesy of the U.S. Department of State
 

FWN CEO Marily Mondejar Selected to Join APEC Women & Economy as part of U.S. Delegation

FWN CEO Marily Mondejar Selected to Join APEC Women & Economy as part of U.S. Delegation

We are pleased to announce that FWN Founder and CEO, Marily Mondejar, was recently selected to join the 2015 APEC Women and the Economy as part of the U.S. Delegation. She will be joining U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues, Catherine M. Russell, the U.S. Department of State and the Secretary’s Office of Global Women’s Issues. This year’s APEC Women and the Economy meetings will take place in the Philippines from September 16-18th, 2015. At this year’s forum, the Philippines is highlighting three areas of importance:  Women and Inclusive Business; Innovative: Women and the Global Value Chain; and Resilience, Women and Sustainable Development.   Marily was nominated to participate as a representative in recognition of her leadership and work in these areas.