Five Filipinas make it to Forbes' 50 Over 50 Asia list
Five Filipinas were recognized in Forbes' 2024 50 Over 50 Asia list for 2024, which honored women over the age of 50 for their achievements in their field.
The annual picked 50 female CEOs, founders, and innovators from 14 countries and territories in Asia across different fields—fashion, finance, and beyond.
In 2023, there was one Filipino on the 50 Over 50 Asia list: Kickstart Ventures president Minette Navarrette. This year sees a few more Pinays on the ranking: Susan Co, Miriam Coronel-Ferrer, Dolly de Leon, Esther Go, and Anna Ma. Margarita B. Dy.
Among the honorees is Susan Co, 66, one of the co-founders of supermarket chain Puregold and wife of businessman Lucio Co. Together with her husband, Co boasted a $2.3 billion net worth in August 2023 and was the 12th richest in the Philippines in that year.
Peace negotiator Miriam Coronel-Ferrer, 64, also made the list with her efforts in the 2014 Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro highlighted. In November 2023, the political science professor at the University of the Philippines was one of the recipients of a Ramon Magsaysay Award for championing "inclusivity and women's participation in peace-building."
54-year-old veteran actress Dolly de Leon was also recognized as she gained critical acclaim starring in the Palme d'Or-winning film Triangle of Sadness. Her role in the film as cruise cleaning crew member Abigail earned her nominations for a BAFTA and a Golden Globe (the first Filipino to earn such a nods).
Also honored is head of health-tech firm Medilink Esther Go, 52, who also serves as an executive at Equicom Health Services, Equicom Savings Bank, Security Bank, among others.
And the last Filipina on the list is Anna Ma. Margarita B. Dy, the first CEO of property developer Ayala Land. The 54-year-old has also been named as one of Asia's Power Businesswomen in 2023.
Other names on the list include Joy Luck Club actress Lisa Lu, Australian pop icon Kylie Minogue, the first Chinese woman to win a Nobel Prize Tu Youyou, and 112-year-old environmentalist Saalumarada Thimmakka.