PLDT Home has done it again! And this time, they are putting the spotlight on the important people whom we call our "Ilaw ng Tahanan" - our mothers.

Pandemic really turned the world upside down for more than two years. So many mothers lost their jobs during that time. But that did not stop some of these powerful women from making an income for their family. Hence, the coined term "MOMPRENEURS".

These are the moms of Madiskarte Moms PH (MMPH), an online community of mother entrepreneurs helping women start their path to financial freedom. And through their mission and vision, the community has grown since then and has now around 190,000 members, of which 450+ members turned brand affiliates, 150 recipients of business toolkits, over 24,900 trained mompreneurs, and 16 online masterclasses and webinars.

PLDT Home recognized from the outset that this movement was the future of entrepreneurship in the Philippines. No need to go to any office because building empires from home—starting with micro-, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs)—is possible and is the new way to financial independence as the platform lets MOMPRENEURS showcase their ability to learn new skills and manage their roles as caregivers, teachers, and business owners.

This is where Gawas Madiskarte comes in.

Gawad Madiskarte was born to celebrate the triumphs of Filipino mompreneurs, those who inspire not just their families but their communities through their creativity and hard work. The awards are supported by PLDT Home as part of its commitment to nation building and its purpose of inspiring innovation and meaningful connections.

Gawad Madiskarte 2024 is set for October 19 at Seda Hotel in BGC. It will award mompreneurs in three categories: Diskarteng Angat, Diskarteng Eco-Friendly and Diskarteng May-Puso in start-up and scale-up divisions. The panel of judges for this year's competition is a formidable lineup of industry leaders and experts, each bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table. Their diverse backgrounds and accomplishments make them a truly distinguished panel. This panel is composed of Butch Jimenez, Chief Operating Officer, PLDT Inc.; Jonjon San Agustin, Executive Vice President for Marketing, SM Supermalls; Tweetie de Leon,owner of TdLG Designs; Angela Chongco, owner of Mayumi Organics; Pia Hontiveros,broadcast journalist; and Annette Gozon-Valdes, President, GMA Films.

To all the winners, may you continue to be an inspiration to all moms out there - to never give up and also pay it forward and be inspirations to others as well.