GIRLS: When the stresses of life start to take a toll on you, never underestimate the power of spending a day with your gals. 

This was the goal the Good Intentions Collective hoped to make a reality last October 22 at Ayala Malls the 30th during their first-ever big event, the Sonny Swap: Blind Box and Art Market. 

Filled with a number of talented artists and food vendors, the majority of whom were women, this event served as the perfect weekend to de-stress with your friends by your side, buying little Sonny Angels and knick-knacks to bring you joy, even for a short while. 

Kyra Gomez, 22, was one of the main organizers and the Head of External Affairs for the event. Her mission was to not only help girls find cute abubots to take home, but to create a safe space where girls could just be girls.

Alongside her were 22-year-olds Julliana Flores, the collective’s sponsorship head, and Angelie Bantog, their manager for internal affairs. 

Though they had only a month and a half to organize this entire event, it proved to be a hit thanks to their marketing on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok; from opening up until closing, Gomez says there were over a thousand people that had partaken in their Sonny Swap. 

“Sobrang nakaka-proud yung turnout, sobrang nakakatuwa yung turnout niya kasi it’s more than what we expected,” she said.

“What I liked about the community that we had today—or the community we fostered today—was that everyone was helping each other out. “

Gomez was overjoyed that the event she and her friends planned successfully fulfilled its goal of being a place where people could gather thanks to their shared interests, as well as serving as a way to celebrate girlhood. 

As someone who’s tabled at many conventions, she’s noticed that most of the time, these events catered heavily toward men. Her items were often overlooked or not appreciated just because they were considered cute and girly, so she wanted to create a day for artists like her that was just for them. 

From the start, the Good Intentions Collective has prided itself on creating things by women for women, and with their first event, they have greatly succeeded in doing just that. 

The crowd at the Sonny Swap

A day for the girls

As we at republicasia walked through the first and second floors of Ayala, where this event was being held, it truly felt like the perfect girl’s day. There were stickers to buy, blind boxes to purchase (Sonny Angels, Smiskis, Hironos, Popmarts, and many more),  and good coffee to drink if ever you were to get tired. 

There were also several activities you could partake in, such as their photo booth wherein you could take pictures for free, their Sonny Swap areas where you could trade your Sonnys for ones you don’t yet have, and their fun games, contests, and raffles.

Gomez notes that they wanted to focus on the female perspective, from the items being sold down to knowing that women love having a little snack and cute drink as they shop. 

With this event, she stated that it was all about women fostering their interests, taking up space, and growing communities surrounded by wonderful people. 

When asked about the event, 30-year-old Lucy Somes, a seller at the event and the owner of Cayoti Baby said: “Aside from having a safe space [that] this event built, the importance is having fun; wala siyang masyadong pressure.” 

“I joined the event not specifically to make money. I just wanted to enjoy myself [and] have a great weekend with other people who love the same things I love.” 

Twenty-two-year-old Jan Charlemagne, owner of Sunog Baga, shared the same sentiment, deeply enjoying how the event allowed women to showcase their talents. And of course, as an anik-anik girlie herself, being surrounded by them made her feel as if she’d gone straight to heaven. 

“Nasho-showcase [dito] yung talents ng mga small artists and nagbu-build ng traction to their branding,” she said.

“I’m very touched na talagang naisipan nila na magkaroon ng event na gan’to, and I’m looking forward [to] their next events. I’ll make sure to join pa rin.” 

Some attractions and booths at the Sonny Swap

A safe space for women

Gomez has noticed that even though there are many conventions wherein people are encouraged to dress up, there are many women who still feel uncomfortable doing so because they’re scared men may ogle them or touch them. 

With this event, though, there seemed to be none of that anxiety. For the costume contest, the girls were dressed all out. It was no surprise given that Gomez noted that in this event, there was no space for harassment and such actions would not be taken lightly. 

In considering things like this, they have done a wonderful job at fostering a safe space. These sentiments were echoed by 26-year-old Pam Taracatac, a seller at the event under the name Kawaii Melodies, as well as a winner of the costume contest that was hosted.

Taracatac shared: “I think there [are] specific events that are more free or comfortable [for you] to express yourself, and this is one of them; it’s a safe space.”

For her, being in a space such as this one felt wonderful and empowering because it helped create opportunities for women as well as help women find people with the same interests and hobbies as them.

That doesn’t mean that the event was closed exclusively to women, though. This could be seen in the attendance of 22-year-old Josh Atienza and 23-year-old Emil Mila who, despite being surrounded by women, still felt completely at ease as they went around the different attractions at the event.

“I think women-centered events are not just women-centered; women-centered siya in a way na [they’re] organized by women or mas maraming women, pero it caters to everyone talaga, which is nice kasi everyone’s welcome regardless of your identity,” Mila shared.

Girls being girls!

The future of Good Intentions

Gomez and her girls are already planning their next event in the coming months. This time, they want to show love for the metaphysical girlies out there, those with a love for all things spiritual, mystical, and magical. 

While they haven’t yet figured out all the details, they do have a working title for the event to come: Spiritual Convenience: The one-stop shop for all your needs. If things go according to plan, it’ll be happening around January or February next year.

“We don’t wanna be stuck in the Sonny Swap lang, we wanna branch out – create new communities, new markets,” shared Gomez. She also hopes to make events related to fashion as well as art in the future.

She reassures Good Intentions’ current followers, though, that they’re going to continue to do what they do best: create events by women for women, because honestly, there’s nothing better than dressing something up with a feminine touch. 

The Good Intentions team! (Kyra, Julls, and Angge)