Frances Cabatuando, widely recognized as the Home Buddies community’s founder and “Mayora”, is using her significant influence well beyond her massive Facebook group of 3.2 million home enthusiasts to talk about the urgent issue of climate change.
Having recently received the prestigious Cosmopolitan Women of Influence 2023 Award, Frances is now expanding her reach and impact as she joins the esteemed Makesense Fellowship as a dedicated ally to climate action.
Makesense, a global community and social entrepreneurship platform, is committed to building a community of engaged citizens who collaborate with social entrepreneurs and organizations to develop innovative solutions for pressing social and environmental challenges.
The fellowship, dubbed "The Good Chat," kicked off in Bangkok, Thailand from June 13 to 15, 2023. Makesense Senior Director and Asia Office Founder Léa Klein says, “The whole objective of the Good Chat is to mainstream the information and the knowledge about renewable energy so it becomes a priority concern, it becomes a society conversation, for any citizen.”
The three-day event aptly anticipates the thought-provoking climate conversations its fellows, including Frances, will ignite within their communities. Joining Frances are two other remarkable Filipinos, Karl Bautista, an LGBT athlete and architect, and Anina Rubio, an artist and lifestyle influencer, as well as seven participants from Indonesia and Thailand.
Frances candidly shares her initial doubts in an Instagram post: “When @makesenseasia reached out last year, I didn't really understand why I was invited to join The Good Chat... I'm no scientist, environmentalist, nor am I a policy maker, what will I bring to the table?”
Klein thinks otherwise as she details why Frances is perfect for the program, “Why did we choose Frances? For different reasons. The first one is obviously Frances understands very well the needs of her community and just the essence of it... the idea of creating neighbors that can support each other... And we strongly believe in the power of neighbors because they are the main communities. They are like the essence even of what we do in Makesense... And the other thing is she was able to establish a very personal and safe space for her community members where... she's not treating herself as a leader, but she's really facilitating conversations, organizing them.”
She further explains how for Makesense, it was important to “work with people who are trusted by the community members, but also who are really here to help them organize themselves and improve their living conditions.”
Additionally, the high costs of energy in the Philippines right now is already an existing conversation within Frances’ community that Makesense wants to help leverage it to make the energy transition in the country more meaningful and powerful.
During the program kickoff, the fellows had the invaluable opportunity to connect with local climate activists and advocates from their countries, discovering their unique roles in the broader climate movement.
Inspired by her experience, Frances emphasizes in her Instagram post, “[Climate change is everyone’s business.] It shouldn't be kept in locked doors but is best inserted in everyday conversations. At dinner time, at work, in supermarkets, and at every moment and touchpoint we can possibly imagine. And my community of 3 Million members deserves to be part of this global conversation.”
Over the next six months, Frances aims to normalize this conversation and raise awareness about the vast possibilities of having access to renewable energy and how it can affect Filipinos’ lives positively, all in the hopes of creating a ripple effect of inspiration that empowers others to
do the same.
Frances is an exclusive talent of NYMA, a talent agency focused on nurturing trailblazers to break through all media spaces. NYMA’s vision is to be the home of Filipino talents in the country and bring Filipino entertainment to the world. To learn more about NYMA, visit nyma.ph.
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