Coca-Cola Philippines & Partners Empower 2,000 Women Entrepreneurs

• The NWTF had its first Hybrid Mass Graduation Ceremony for the iSTAR Program
• It was held on February 1, at Bacolod, Negros Occidental
• It is a landmark event that shows Coca-Cola Philippines' commitment to empowering the economy of women

On February 1, the first-ever Hybrid Mass Graduation Ceremony for the iSTAR Program was celebrated at Bacolod, Negros Occidental by the Negros Women for Tomorrow Foundation (NWTF), which has been a long-standing partner of Coca-Cola Philippines. The event signifies the commitment of Coca-Cola Philippines to facilitate economic empowerment among women, especially those in underserved communities.

In fact, the first-ever Hybrid Mass Graduation Ceremony for the iSTAR Program was held in Bacolod, Negros Occidental, by the Negros Women for Tomorrow Foundation (NWTF), a partner organization of Coca-Cola Philippines from the very beginning and until now, on February 01,.The 2000 graduates who attended in person and virtually, along with the participation of many, became witness to this momentous event that had been focused not only on celebrating the success of its graduates but also on seeing the program being a very valuable tool in empowering women entrepreneurs all over the country.

The event was a landmark for the iSTAR Program in the Western Visayas, particularly in Region VI, because it showed that skills, knowledge, and confidence could really influence entrepreneurs to create and sustain their businesses. Ivanna Dela Torre (senior director for public affairs, communication, and sustainability at Coca-Cola in the Philippines) noted, "Coca-Cola Philippines has always been refreshing lives in over 112 years for Filipinos while doing well for their communities".

The event graced top officials from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), including Director General Sec. Jose Francisco "Kiko" B. Benitez, Deputy Director General for Special Concerns Felizardo R. Colambo, Executive Director of the Partnerships and Linkages Office Floramel Joy C. Songsong, Chief of the National Training Center for Women Mylene H. Somera, and many others from the different regions and provinces.

iSTAR graduate and now Sari-sari Store and bakery owner Catherine Gallano shared how the program trained her for entrepreneurial success, providing the necessary skills and knowledge. Through the digital learning platform of the initiative, she gained confidence in managing finances and dealing with customers, allowing her business to flourish. "The iSTAR program has really helped empower women like me and has taught us how to create a self-sustaining business that can also help us earn a living and improve the standard of living," she said.

The NWTF has brought great contribution to the grassroots within which iSTAR works. Their commitment to the promotion of entrepreneurship has ensured that participants, women in particular, can acquire relevant skills and support necessary for maintaining their enterprises. "Loans are just part of it; we need loans to have capital, but the heart of the Project Dungganon is to support maximize and protect the business. iSTAR is among the programs delivered by Dungganon to capacitate our members to better their businesses," said Gilbert Stephan Maramba, Director for Operations at the NWTF.