Top 20 Revealed in MCCI’s Search for W.I.N.N.E.Rs Season 3

The Mandaue Chamber of Commerce & Industry (MCCI)launched the Search  for W.I.N.N.E.Rs (Women In Need, Now Entrepreneurs and Rolemodels) last July 20, at the St. Theresa’s  College Campus.

Now on its third season, the Search for W.I.N.N.E.Rs is MCCI’s quest  for model women micro-entrepreneurs from Mandaue City who are  supporting their families and are struggling to rise from poverty  through their business ventures. Their stories of perseverance and  creativity will hopefully inspire other women to be empowered. The  Search for Winners is chaired by MCCI Vice President Carmel de  Pio-Salvador and co-chaired by Marylou Ngo-Ang and Alice Uy.

Forty four (44) micro-entrepreneurs representing the barangays of the  City of Mandaue went through the Basic Entrepreneurial Skills Training  conducted by St. Theresa’s College Business Administration Department  and Basic Banking provided by Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation  (RCBC). During the pre-judging, 20 women micro-entrepreneurs made it  through the interview of the panel of judges composed of the MCCI  Trustees, event sponsors and media partners.

“The 20 micro-entrepreneurs went through the rigorous selection  process and were judged based on their personality and self confidence  which is 25%; Q & A responses (conversation skills and intelligence)  which is 25%; resourcefulness and creativity which is 20%; while 30%  goes to their inspirational stories of courage & perseverance”,  Salvador said.

The following made it to the top 20 slot and will get the chance to  qualify for the Grand Finals to be held at the Mandaue City Sports Complex on August 20, 2013. They  are: Winnie Sicad who is into selling motor parts and junk bikes from  Brgy. Cubacub ; Roquesa Estaniel a fish vendor and who is also into  scrap buying from Brgy. Cubacub; a Sari-Sari store owner Catherine  Mabulay of Brgy. Jagobiao ; Ma. Liza Lagura a fish and chicken vendor  from Brgy. Subangdaku; Agnes Ceniza of Brgy. Mantuyong who owns a  Beauty Shop; Ethel Genonsalao of Brgy. Centro who has a carenderia  business; Juliet Buhawe from Brgy. Centro is into sari-sari store  business; Jessa Surmeon from Brgy. Bakilid makes bracelets and has her  own M & J Collections shop; Carmelita Bihag and Almira Bihag both from  Brgy. Tawason are into sari-sari store business; Genalyn Matawa from  Brgy. Umapad has her own bakeshop; Jennifer Abasolo from Brgy.  Cabancalan is into carenderia business; Hazel Del Castillo from Brgy.  Cambaro is into buy & sell business; Jonalyn Navarro an AVON dealer  from Brgy. Guizo; Daisy Ponce from Brgy. Cambaro has her own sari-sari store;  Teresita Adrias a vendor of hanging rice (puso) from Brgy. Guizo;  Leonila Pepito from Brgy. Casuntingan has her own sari-sari store as  well as Lourdes Bardilles from Brgy. Subangdaku; Prima Monte from  Brgy. Labogon also sells hanging rice and lastly Rosie Maramara from Brgy. Looc is into RTW business.

The Search for W.I.N.N.E.Rs Season 3 has lined up activities before  the final round. The Top 20 will undergo a basic orientation and  training activity on ICT / Telecom business provided by ACC on July  25. The training participants shall be challenged to come up with a  business idea that is related to ICT / Telecom. ACC will announce and award their chosen Top 10 on September 4 at Shangri-la  Rosal Ballroom.

The participants will also undergo Make-Up Training to be conducted by  Jay Castillo . They will also have their sponsors’ tour on August 14  where they will undergo personality development seminar. The  candidates will also get the chance to shop and choose their own gowns  and accessories courtesy of Gaisano Grand Mall Mandaue and will fit  their own shoes courtesy of Lipstick company of Alice Uy. On the same  day, the Top 20 will be presented to the media during the press  conference which will be held at the St. Mark Hotel, the event venue  sponsor. Other activities include: Business plan mentoring, San Miguel  Purefoods Business Training and Magnolia cooking emonstration which  will be held at Insular Square.

The Top 20 finalist stories will be featured in ABS-CBN’s local  entertainment program MagTV and will also be published in the Souvenir  Program to be distributed during the Grand Finals. Out of the 44 micro  entrepreneurs, 10 of them will represent in ABS-CBN’s local game show  “Kapamilya Mas Winner Ka”.

The Mandaue Business Month 2013 Celebration is supported by the Cebu  Provincial Government and the Mandaue City Government. Other event sponsors include: ABS-CBN,  Skycable, Virginia Foods Inc., San Miguel Brewery, San Miguel Food,  Monterey and Magnolia, International Pharmaceuticals Inc., Insular  Square Mall, Microdata, Uratex Foam, Gaisano Grand Mall, St. Mark  Hotel, Lipstick by Ms. Alice Uy, St. Theresa’s College, Global Carrier  Phils., Inc., Mandaue Foam, Metro Mandaue (Vicsal Foundation), Jay  Castillo Make-up, New Placenta, Kings Quality Food, Langkawi Discovery  Spa, ACC, Shangri-la Mactan Resort and Spa, Sunstar, Cebu Daily News,  and The Freeman.