Victor Baguilat Jr., a multidisciplinary social entrepreneur, stylist, and designer, was recognized on December 2022 by The Outstanding Young Men Foundation (TOYM).
As a graduate of the Master in Development Management (MDM) Program of the Asian Institute of Management in 2020, Mr. Baguilat scaled the social impact of Kandama, an enterprise he established in 2017 for the indigenous women of Julongan Village, Ifugao with the help of the Singapore International Foundation. Kandama empowers Ifugao women to use traditional weaving to make a living and transform their lives. This, in turn, nurtures their community and preserves their indigenous traditions. These efforts led to Kandama’s recognition as one of the “Top 100 Social Enterprises in Asia to Watch Out For In 2018” by the National University of Singapore and the Development Bank of Singapore. Their work has graced the stage of exclusive fashion events in Hong Kong, Melbourne, and Paris.
Mr. Baguilat graduated with High Distinction from the Institute’s MDM program. His excellent performance as a student earned him the award, while his needs assessment and strategy paper on how to help his partner community during the pandemic was highly praised during his time at AIM. As a fashion designer who specializes in Filipino culture and arts, his work has been featured in prestigious platforms such as Vogue Italia and Say Magazine, which is the biggest indigenous lifestyle magazine in North America.
His recent TOYM award also cements Mr. Baguilat as one of the select Filipinos between 18 to 40 years old who have made significant contributions to Philippine society in their fields or communities. He will be receiving his award at the Malacañang Palace in Manila.
