Limjoco recognized at int’l women entrepreneurs conference

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines will take center stage next month as the country’s franchising ambassadress and mother of Philippine Franchising, Ma. Alegria “Bing” Sibal-Limjoco will  be recognized by the International Women Entrepreneurs Challenge (IWEC) 2017 at the 10th Annual IWEC Conference at the Microsoft main office in Washington.

IWEC is a New York-based non-profit organization which mission is to connect and develop a global network of successful women business owners.

Limjoco was nominated by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), the country’s largest business organization, representing Francorp Philippines.   

Limjoco has been a two-term president and currently the vice chairman of the Philippine Franchise Association (PFA). She is the  first  Filipino and first Asian to earn the Certified  Franchise Executive, a mini-MBA on Franchise Management at the University  of  St. Thomas in Minneapolis, US,  which is accredited by the Institute of Certified Franchise Executives of the US-based International Franchise Association. 

 Limjoco has represented the Philippines through PFA in various international franchise organizations most notably the World Franchise Council and the Asia Pacific Franchise Confederation and has brought Philippine brands in various international franchise shows in the US, Europe and Asia. 

Bing, as she is fondly called in the local and international business industry, dreamt of being a diplomat.  But her father who owns Phoenix Publishing House asked her to study in New York as he wanted her to take over the business someday.

New York, the center of the world’s business and commerce, was a world away from Manila. The busy streets, the skyscrapers, and the hustle and bustle of daily life in a big city helped create a highly competitive environment for Limjoco. 

Despite her reservations, Limjoco became inspired. The competitive spirit and the drive that only a city of New York’s stature can bring has made Limjoco see herself in a different light — that of an entrepreneur. 

“I became a business minded woman when I studied in New York. Studying overseas makes you more active, competitive and business-minded because you have to prove what you are despite the discrimination. That way, I become engaged in business and served my father in the publishing industry,” Limjoco said.

She earned her AB Foreign Service degree from St. Theresa’s College, Interior Design from the New York School of Interior Design, and her Masters in Business and Economics from the University of Asia and the Pacific.  

IWEC’s reach encompasses women who are in the global marketplace and want to expand, and those who are ripe to get into the marketplace. IWEC’s ecosystem is comprised of women-owned companies around the globe whose combined annual revenue is over $25 billion, and who employ over 125,000 workers worldwide. IWEC’s constituents represent some of the most influential businesswomen from the world’s most important emerging and established regions.? 

Limjoco’s steady hand and guidance have helped new businesses and brands prosper in an ever-changing and challenging business environment in the Philippines, through the PFA and Francorp Philippines. 

“I find so much fulfilment in seeing businesses grow and it gives me personal satisfaction to know that I have contributed to their growth,” she said.