ADVERTISEMENT
Manila Bulletin devider Technews devider Filipino mompreneurs harness AI to transform homegrown businesses

Filipino mompreneurs harness AI to transform homegrown businesses

Published Apr 9, 2026 06:40 am  |  Updated Apr 8, 2026 10:02 pm
Filipino mompreneurs are revolutionizing the way homegrown businesses operate by embracing Artificial Intelligence (AI) to streamline operations, spark creativity, and make smarter decisions. What was once a complex and intimidating technology is now increasingly accessible, allowing women entrepreneurs to automate routine tasks and focus on building sustainable and impactful ventures.
Through AI, mompreneurs can manage finances more efficiently, identify market trends, and generate innovative ideas with speed and confidence. This transformation is evident in the experiences of Filipina entrepreneurs participating in the Gemini Academy, a collaborative initiative by Google Philippines, PLDT Home, and Madiskarte Moms PH (MMPH). The program equips women with practical AI skills to elevate their businesses and expand their reach.
Princess Alvarez, founder of ISLA Everything Accessories, demonstrates how AI can bridge creativity and business management. Without a technical background, she used Gemini to generate complex Google Sheets formulas through simple prompts, creating a custom pricing calculator and business tracker. This automation allows Alvarez to monitor profits and business health in real-time, freeing her to focus on designing new products. Beyond her own business, Alvarez generously shares these AI tools with her community, helping fellow mompreneurs navigate pricing and business planning.
Similarly, Jenielyn Sicabalo-Nieva of MP Nieva’s Flower Company leverages AI as a strategic brainstorming partner. By analyzing global bouquet trends and generating creative add-on gift ideas, Gemini supports her in managing the business side while her husband handles the floral design. Sicabalo-Nieva recalls a standout moment when AI helped her tailor bouquets for a local movie premiere, researching the cast members’ favorite colors and flowers. The result delighted the stars and highlighted how AI can enhance personalized services.
AI adoption is also empowering older entrepreneurs. Mercedita Madrona, 64, owner of Kusinanay’s Food Products and a Gawad Madiskarte finalist, used AI to close major deals despite not being tech-savvy. She emphasizes that AI tools make learning and growth possible at any stage, helping her compete and thrive in today’s digital economy.
The Gemini Academy, now in its second year, showcased these practical successes and emphasized a shift from understanding AI to applying it strategically. Google Philippines and PLDT Home further support this momentum by presenting the Gemini Special Award at the Gawad Madiskarte 2027, recognizing mompreneurs who successfully scale their businesses using AI.
AI tools such as NotebookLM, Pomelli AI, and Gemini’s creative suite — including Lyria, Nano Banana, and Canvas — enable entrepreneurs to research, generate content, and optimize operations. These innovations are making AI accessible beyond large corporations, empowering everyday Filipino entrepreneurs to work smarter, grow faster, and build purposeful businesses.
For those interested in learning more or joining the community, the Madiskarte Moms PH Facebook group provides resources, training, and support for AI adoption in homegrown businesses.
ADVERTISEMENT
.most-popular .layout-ratio{ padding-bottom: 79.13%; } @media (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px) { .widget-title { font-size: 15px !important; } }

{{ articles_filter_1561_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}
.most-popular .layout-ratio{ padding-bottom: 79.13%; } @media (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px) { .widget-title { font-size: 15px !important; } }

{{ articles_filter_1562_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}
.most-popular .layout-ratio{ padding-bottom: 79.13%; } @media (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px) { .widget-title { font-size: 15px !important; } }

{{ articles_filter_1563_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}

{{ articles_filter_1564_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}
.mb-article-details { position: relative; } .mb-article-details .article-body-preview, .mb-article-details .article-body-summary{ font-size: 17px; line-height: 30px; font-family: "Libre Caslon Text", serif; color: #000; } .mb-article-details .article-body-preview iframe , .mb-article-details .article-body-summary iframe{ width: 100%; margin: auto; } .read-more-background { background: linear-gradient(180deg, color(display-p3 1.000 1.000 1.000 / 0) 13.75%, color(display-p3 1.000 1.000 1.000 / 0.8) 30.79%, color(display-p3 1.000 1.000 1.000) 72.5%); position: absolute; height: 200px; width: 100%; bottom: 0; display: flex; justify-content: center; align-items: center; padding: 0; } .read-more-background a{ color: #000; } .read-more-btn { padding: 17px 45px; font-family: Inter; font-weight: 700; font-size: 18px; line-height: 16px; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle; border: 1px solid black; background-color: white; } .hidden { display: none; }
function initializeAllSwipers() { // Get all hidden inputs with cms_article_id document.querySelectorAll('[id^="cms_article_id_"]').forEach(function (input) { const cmsArticleId = input.value; const articleSelector = '#article-' + cmsArticleId + ' .body_images'; const swiperElement = document.querySelector(articleSelector); if (swiperElement && !swiperElement.classList.contains('swiper-initialized')) { new Swiper(articleSelector, { loop: true, pagination: false, navigation: { nextEl: '#article-' + cmsArticleId + ' .swiper-button-next', prevEl: '#article-' + cmsArticleId + ' .swiper-button-prev', }, }); } }); } setTimeout(initializeAllSwipers, 3000); const intersectionObserver = new IntersectionObserver( (entries) => { entries.forEach((entry) => { if (entry.isIntersecting) { const newUrl = entry.target.getAttribute("data-url"); if (newUrl) { history.pushState(null, null, newUrl); let article = entry.target; // Extract metadata const author = article.querySelector('.author-section').textContent.replace('By', '').trim(); const section = article.querySelector('.section-info ').textContent.replace(' ', ' '); const title = article.querySelector('.article-title h1').textContent; // Parse URL for Chartbeat path format const parsedUrl = new URL(newUrl, window.location.origin); const cleanUrl = parsedUrl.host + parsedUrl.pathname; // Update Chartbeat configuration if (typeof window._sf_async_config !== 'undefined') { window._sf_async_config.path = cleanUrl; window._sf_async_config.sections = section; window._sf_async_config.authors = author; } // Track virtual page view with Chartbeat if (typeof pSUPERFLY !== 'undefined' && typeof pSUPERFLY.virtualPage === 'function') { try { pSUPERFLY.virtualPage({ path: cleanUrl, title: title, sections: section, authors: author }); } catch (error) { console.error('ping error', error); } } // Optional: Update document title if (title && title !== document.title) { document.title = title; } } } }); }, { threshold: 0.1 } ); function showArticleBody(button) { const article = button.closest("article"); const summary = article.querySelector(".article-body-summary"); const body = article.querySelector(".article-body-preview"); const readMoreSection = article.querySelector(".read-more-background"); // Hide summary and read-more section summary.style.display = "none"; readMoreSection.style.display = "none"; // Show the full article body body.classList.remove("hidden"); } document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", () => { let loadCount = 0; // Track how many times articles are loaded const offset = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10]; // Offset values const currentUrl = window.location.pathname.substring(1); let isLoading = false; // Prevent multiple calls if (!currentUrl) { console.log("Current URL is invalid."); return; } const sentinel = document.getElementById("load-more-sentinel"); if (!sentinel) { console.log("Sentinel element not found."); return; } function isSentinelVisible() { const rect = sentinel.getBoundingClientRect(); return ( rect.top < window.innerHeight && rect.bottom >= 0 ); } function onScroll() { if (isLoading) return; if (isSentinelVisible()) { if (loadCount >= offset.length) { console.log("Maximum load attempts reached."); window.removeEventListener("scroll", onScroll); return; } isLoading = true; const currentOffset = offset[loadCount]; window.loadMoreItems().then(() => { let article = document.querySelector('#widget_1690 > div:nth-last-of-type(2) article'); intersectionObserver.observe(article) loadCount++; }).catch(error => { console.error("Error loading more items:", error); }).finally(() => { isLoading = false; }); } } window.addEventListener("scroll", onScroll); });
Join Our Newsletters

Sign up by email to receive news.

© 2025 Manila Bulletin The Nation's Leading Newspaper. All Rights Reserved.