16 September 2019 – The Philippine Consulate General in Frankfurt supported an event entitled “Pagari: Marawi Jewelry Trunkshow,” which was held on 14 September 2019 at the lovely Scheich residence in Bad Homburg, Hesse. The event was part of the Consulate’s Gender and Development activities and poverty alleviation project.

The ‘Pagari’, which means ‘sister’ or ‘beloved’ in Marawi culture, is a trunkshow which exhibits unique and quality jewelry pieces made by women survivors of war-torn Marawi City in Mindanao.

During the event, Consul General Evelyn D. Austria-Garcia highlighted the plight of the people of Marawi, whose community in Southern Philippines was ravaged by war and acts of terrorism in 2017. She underscored that the activity was an expression of the Consulate’s support for the efforts of the Marawi women to rebuild their lives through their talent and craftsmanship in jewelry-making. She also stressed the resilience of the Marawi women.

The occasion was an opportunity for the women behind Pagari, Mesdames Phoebe Esperanza Adora Gallardo and Carmen Ongpin to explain the beginnings of the trunkshow and their efforts to help the Marawi women regain normal lives through sustainable livelihood. Ms. Gallardo is a management consultant who handles the business development and marketing of the jewelry items while Ms. Ongpin is in-charge of product design.

The event was attended by some 30 guests from the Consular Corps and the Filipino-German community with some coming as far as Dusseldorf and Thuringia, which are approximately 2 to 3 hours drive from Frankfurt. END