The future is hers, and the future is now
Last March 6, women from different fields, backgrounds, and spheres of influence gathered at the Samsung Hall of SM Aura to celebrate International Women’s Day with a summit entitled “The Future is Hers: Create. Lead. Drive.”
As early as an hour before it began, the entrance to the hall was filled with women in eager anticipation of a morning of inspiring talks, to be followed by an afternoon of activities focused on what women love best—beauty, fashion, food, crafts, and bonding events with friends.
This day highlighted SM Supermalls’ commitment to recognize, encourage, and empower women by helping them maneuver the varied roles they play in their lives, especially as they become increasingly influential in creative fields, technology and entrepreneurship. The talks were designed to help women unlock their potential in a world that, for a long time, was not conducive to letting women see themselves beyond traditional roles.
The opening remarks were given by Jica Sy, SM Prime Holdings vice president and head of design, innovation, and strategy. She talked disarmingly about how a desire to be perfect was actually rooted in fear.
“For a long time, I was an extreme perfectionist,” said Jica. “I believed that if I wanted to do something, it had to be exactly right and could only be shared with the world when it was perfect. I would spend hours and days worrying about whether I said the right thing, presented the right decision, or even looked the right way. To be honest, a lot of this came from fear—that if I made a mistake, people would judge me, the world would collapse, and something catastrophic would happen. I thought that an imperfect moment would undo everything that I had worked so hard for. So instead of starting, I waited for the right moment, the right preparation, when everything felt just polished enough. But over time, I realized that waiting for perfection was another form of fear.”
She consulted an aunt and asked, “How do you know that your decisions are correct—the right ones?” Her aunt answered, “Sometimes you don’t know the perfect solution, but a decision still needs to be made. What matters is that you do your best and make the best decision when the moment presents itself.”
This became a game changer. “Instead of waiting until everything was perfect, I simply started when things were good enough. To my surprise, things happened. Firstly, the world didn’t fall apart. Secondly, when I stopped worrying about what people thought of me, I was able to create more and speak more freely. I tried things that I would never have tried before. Ironically, that’s when I saw real change—not because they were flawless, but because they were real, intentional and happening.”
Jica concluded, “The future doesn’t belong to those who are ready; it belongs to those who are here now, to those who are willing to begin. To create is to start with something that solves a real problem. Value your merits, your skills, your thoughts.”
While she credits her grandmother, who touched and inspired the generations around her, she also acknowledges her grandfather, Henry Sy Sr., for instilling a sense of humility and the importance of seeing things from other people’s perspectives—“because we know that we don’t have all the answers.”
Other speakers included MindNation co-founder Cat Triviño, host and podcaster Joyce Pring-Triviño, actress and mental health advocate Gabbi Garcia, content creator Belle Rodolfo, Connected Women co-founder Gina Romero, TikTok Philippines’ Eleanor Aguas, SoFA Design Institute co-founder Amina Aranaz, GRWM Cosmetics co-founder Mae Layug-Madriñan, and The Editor’s Market Philippines co-owner Erica Dee-Poe.
Cat, Joyce, and Gabbi emphasized the importance of setting boundaries online, noting that one has to safeguard one’s mental health. Belle, Gina, and Eleanor talked about continuously utilizing emerging technologies to strengthen their brands and communities. They said that artificial intelligence and other advanced technologies are not threats, but tools that can supplement creativity and originality.
In the final panel discussion, Amina, Mae, and Erica shared their experiences as women entrepreneurs in growing their respective businesses, overcoming mental setbacks, and building inclusive workspaces. They reflected on how women’s emotional sensitivity was once perceived as a weakness. Today, however, there is growing recognition of the value of leading organizations with empathy. When leaders lead with heart, entrepreneurship evolves from being purely transactional to deeply relational.
“At SM Supermalls, our message is simple: All For You. It’s about service and creating spaces and opportunities where others can thrive—and that is especially important for women,” concluded SM Supermalls assistant vice president for marketing and leasing Hanna Carinna Sy.
