The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority Women’s Center (TESDA Women’s Center), headed by TESDA Women’s Center Chief Mylene Somera, partnered with Pilmico Foods Corporation (Pilmico) to launch their newest signature bread, “Juana Banana.” They named the bread after Juana, to represent all Filipino women.
Chef Carla Valencia, Pilmico’s Technical Service Manager for Flour, created the recipe for “Juana Banana.” The bread is made with bananas, including their peels and vegetables like malunggay, pumpkin, and carrots, making it a healthier pastry alternative. It is baked with premium quality “Sun Moon Star” bread flour from Pilmico, filled with butter, and topped with a crispy cookie crust.
According to Chef Carla, she developed the banana bread recipe with sustainability in mind. “For two years, I’ve been trying to incorporate banana peels in bread during some of our TESDA Women’s Center baking demonstrations. We usually throw out the banana peels, but many people have used them for viands and banana chips. To reduce food waste and make the recipe more sustainable, I also came up with the idea of using banana peels in developing “Juana Banana,” she shared.
On March 8th, International Women’s Day, Cafe Juana at TESDA Women’s Center offered a complimentary “Juana Banana” bread to customers who wore any purple color in their attire. The bread will also be added to Cafe Juana’s menu moving forward.
“This is a very welcome opportunity for TESDA to learn how to do these innovations, using food waste and turning it into something that can help generate income for our constituents. Moving forward, we want TESDA to be more innovative sa lahat ng bagay (in all aspects). We want to think out of the box,” said Mr. Abe Arenga, TESDA Chief of Staff.
A Flourishing Partnership Since 2018
The TESDA Women’s Center prioritizes women enrollees, implementing a 9:1 ratio of women to men in the classes. As part of the Wooden Spoon Business Innovation program, newly certified TESDA trainees are equipped with baking skills and knowledge and encouraged to continue learning about entrepreneurship and developing their business mindset.
Mylene Somera expressed her gratitude to Pilmico for their flourishing partnership throughout the years, “We thank Pilmico and the Aboitiz Foundation for supporting TESDA Women’s Center’s programs. We’ve been partners since 2018 when we launched the Wooden Spoon Training Center. The launch is very timely since we’ve been thinking, paano magkakaroon ng collaboration (ang TESDA at Pilmico) in terms of product development and it’s finally here. (The launch is very timely since we’ve been thinking about how TESDA and Pilmico can collaborate further in terms of product development, and it’s finally here),” she said.
The UNESCO-UNEVOC recognized Wooden Spoon Training Center in the TESDA Women’s Center as one of ten business innovation centers in 2019, acknowledging its commitment to innovation, especially in entrepreneurship.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the development of the Juana Banana recipe align with Pilmico’s broader sustainability goals?
Chef Carla Valencia spent two years developing the banana peel incorporation technique before presenting it at TESDA. The recipe addresses food waste by converting a discarded material into a functional ingredient, and uses locally available vegetables to add nutritional density. This approach mirrors Pilmico’s wider sustainability ethos of creating value from existing resources and developing products that benefit both consumers and the environment.
What is the ‘Juana Banana’ bread, and what makes it distinctive from a nutrition and sustainability standpoint?
Juana Banana is a signature bread developed by Pilmico’s Chef Carla Valencia in partnership with the TESDA Women’s Center. It is made using bananas including their peels – which are rich in antioxidants – along with malunggay, pumpkin, and carrots to increase nutritional value. The use of banana peels is a deliberate food waste reduction measure, making the recipe more sustainable than conventional banana bread.
How long has Pilmico’s partnership with the TESDA Women’s Center been in place, and what has it produced?
Pilmico and the TESDA Women’s Center have been partners since 2018, when they jointly launched the Wooden Spoon Training Center. The center was later recognized in 2019 by UNESCO-UNEVOC as one of ten business innovation centers worldwide. The partnership has since expanded to include baking demonstrations, product development collaboration, and the March 2024 launch of the Juana Banana bread.
Who attended the Juana Banana launch, and what was notable about the event’s timing?
The launch was held at Cafe Juana within the TESDA Women’s Center on March 8, 2024, coinciding with International Women’s Day. Attendees included TESDA Women’s Center Chief Mylene Somera, TESDA Executive Director Juliet Orasco, TESDA Chief of Staff Abe Arenga, Chef Carla Valencia, and Pilmico Government Relations Manager Theressa Castillo. Customers who wore purple that day received a complimentary Juana Banana.
What is the Wooden Spoon Business Innovation program at TESDA Women’s Center, and how does Pilmico support it?
The Wooden Spoon program equips newly certified TESDA trainees – with a 9:1 female-to-male enrollment ratio – with baking skills and entrepreneurship knowledge. Pilmico supplies premium flour, sends qualified chef-trainers for demonstrations, and collaborates on recipe development. The program is designed to give women the technical and business skills needed to launch and grow their own bakery enterprises.
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