Most Influential Filipinos in the Gulf: Iman and Luchi Suguitan – Trailblazer

Iman & Luchie Suguitan

Sister power duo, Iman and Luchie Suguitan have been working altruistically on bringing positive social and economic change in the lives of Philippine farmers through their co-founded Mindanao-based enterprise known as “OFW para sa Magsasaka”, or OPM. Their advocacy stems from the frustrating reality that the farmers who grow the nation’s staple food end up not being able to afford their own crops. They elaborate: “In every community we  enter we should be able to increase farmers’ crop prices and stabilize their income, invest or link farmers with public goods, as well as create incentives and deliver training required to sustain farmers’ ecosystems.”

2016 has been particularly productive for their endeavours. In addition to legally setting up their social enterprise, Iman and Luchie, along with their sixty-eight year old mother, completed their cacao doctors training in Davao. Concerning the success and influence of their social enterprise, Iman and Luchie shares: “As of November 24, we have already taught more than 150 farmers on proper cacao farming and harvest. That’s a potential 150 families with better livelihoods in the next three years. For the future, we envision being able to create products that will serve not just our farmers, but our fisherfolk and going into agri-tourism.”

Hoping to pave the way for a brighter fate for those at home, Iman and Luchie elaborate: “As Filipino Muslims, we want to be recognized as influential sisters who tried our best to help our fellow Filipinos regardless of religion, politics and distance.”

Photo by Alex Callueng; Photography Assistant – Bethoven Filomeno Special thanks to – Giordano, Nikon, Liali Jewellery, Lulu, Mitsubishi and Western Union.