Ambassador Elizabeth P. Buensuceso, Permanent Representative of the Philippines to ASEAN shares a light moment with officers and members of the Philippine Women’s Association (PWA) of Jakarta. 

The Philippine Women’s Association (PWA) of Jakarta held a decoupage or “the art of decorating and gluing objects” workshop at the Permanent Mission of the Philippines to ASEAN on 16 September 2017 with the theme “A touch of Art.”

Citing the importance of the Filipino community, Ambassador Elizabeth P. Buensuceso, Permanent Representative of the Philippines to ASEAN and Chair of the Committee of Permanent Representatives to ASEAN (CPR),  encouraged the group of women to carry on with their roles as cultural ambassadors of the Philippines.

A champion of women’s rights herself, Ambassador Buensuceso urged the women to continue to show the positive aspects of the Filipino culture.  She also mentioned that as the Chair of ASEAN for 2017, the Philippines is host to over 100 ASEAN meetings, one of which was the recently concluded ASEAN Women’s Business Conference organized by the ASEAN Women Entrepreneurs or AWEN.

Ambassador Buensuceso also talked about four leadership qualities women have to remember.  “These are excellence, compassion, humility and faith,” Ambassador Buensuceso emphasized, reminding the ladies to never take no for an answer and to “never lose perspective of what you have put before you.”  The women leaders in the group found the Ambassador’s message “uplifting, timely and inspiring.”

In keeping with the theme of the gathering, Ms. Dorothy Novicio, Vice President of the ASEAN Women’s Circle in Jakarta, did a presentation on the women mat weavers of Bukidnon.  She shared her own personal journey in tracing the story of the mats, how the artisan mats should be treated as significant pieces of art and how the weavers should be revered as heroes and keepers of an indigenous tradition.  

The decoupage workshop was spearheaded by Mrs. Connie Nartates, one of the advisers of PWA.  The ladies spent the rest of the morning in a relaxed and fun atmosphere while working on their own pieces of art.

PWA President, Ms. Elaine Mercado thanked Ambassador Buensuceso and the whole Philippine Mission to ASEAN family for their support and for welcoming them at the new chancery. 

PWA is a non-profit organization whose aim is to promote friendship among the growing number of Filipino women in Indonesia. The group holds interesting workshops and talks, cultural and social activities, and fund-raising initiatives and other charity work. 

END