Along with warmer weather, March ushers in the season to celebrate women. On Women’s Month, they are elevated to a higher pedestal, with their accomplishments and contributions to society amplified for all to hear.
PhilSTAR L!fe gathered 14 women, all trailblazers in their respective fields, to talk about how they are leading the charge toward female empowerment.
This is how to spot women leaders. Emulate them.
They fight for their convictions
Masungi Georeserve is a government-protected conservation area in the southern part of the Sierra Madre. Ann and Billie Dumaliang are sisters, adding an extra layer of protection for the georeserve. They founded the Masungi Georeserve Foundation to more effectively keep the area safe from the threat of illegal logging, quarrying, and large-scale developments, among others.
Because of their tireless and often dangerous work, Ann and Billie were included in TIME Magazine’s Next Generation Leaders in 2024. It’s a challenge both sisters are willing to accept over and over again.
“Being a woman, you face so many challenges already,” said Billie. “But we still succeed. That’s why my favorite thing about being a woman is having the strength to carry on despite the challenges of everyday life.”
Ann added, “That strength for our work comes from finding the people who stand for the same things as we do. Among women, especially, there’s strength in numbers.”
Matching Ann and Billie’s energy to fight for what they believe in is Atty. Heidi Caguioa.
Hand-in-hand with her law practice is her belief that marginalized sectors need and deserve help from the communities around them. This is what Caguioa, through her knowledge of the law, tries to give.
Her compassion and legal assistance aren’t limited to humans. Aside from practicing law, Caguioa is also the program director for the Animal Kingdom Foundation. In this role, she works to promote animal rights and fight animal cruelty.
It’s an uphill battle every day, she said.
“It’s very difficult to be a woman in [the law] industry because they think you are weak and emotional. But standing up and being a voice for animals is something that a brave woman does.”
They do what they love and what they know
To be a successful leader in one’s field, one must find one's work meaningful and important. It’s just like how ANC anchor Karmina Constantino-Torres feels about what she does.
A champion of truth and press freedom, Constantino-Torres understands that by asking hard-hitting questions at work, she can continue doing her mission to stand “for [her] country and her people.”
Being a 2022 Marshall McLuhan fellow helps her do this. (The Marshall McLuhan Fellowship, established by the Canadian Embassy, is awarded to Filipino journalists with outstanding investigative journalism skills.)
Independent filmmaker Martika Escobar certainly does what she loves. Audiences see this through her films; her debut film, Leonor Will Never Die, won the World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for Innovative Spirit at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival.
“Women support other women by giving them more opportunities and showing them that they’re not alone,” said Escobar. It’s this sense of community that adds to her passion for her craft.
For athlete and engineer Alenna Dawn, what she knows is the importance of sports and how this helps strengthen a woman in all aspects of her life.
“We’re building the next generation of girls who will join the padel industry,” said Dawn, who founded the Philippine Padel Association and the Women’s Padel Association and serves as CEO of the Manila Padel Club. “It’s a male-dominated sport. So we’re pushing for young girls to not just learn the sport but also become a leader in it.”
They focus on what’s important
Leaders know how to prioritize, and Florabel Yatco does this to keep her restaurants Florabel, Crisostomo, Corazon, and Sisa’s Secret consistently serving delicious food.
“As a mother,” she said, “being hardworking and passionate about what you’re doing is the best contribution I can give to the industry for aspiring chefs.”
Yatco’s passion is evident as she brings Filipino flavors overseas through international food festivals. Beyond adobo, she’s optimistic about regional dishes also making their way to the global dining table.
For Joy Virata and Mindy Perez Rubio, both pillars of Philippine theater, more important than seeing gender is loving the work they do.
“It doesn’t really matter whether you’re a man or woman, as long as you love the work you do,” said Virata, who is the founder and director of Repertory Theater for Young Audiences and is the former associate creative director at Repertory Philippines, among other roles in the company. “I evolved from being an actress to being a director, mostly because of age. Being a woman doesn’t really make any difference in this industry. If men respect you, they respect you for what you do. They don’t care about your gender.”
Rubio, the president and CEO of Repertory Philippines, maintained that although there are more male leaders in the Philippine theater industry, it makes no difference. “When I speak as the head of Repertory, they listen to me,” she said. “In this country, Filipinos revere their women. When you think about it, the head of the household in the Philippines is the woman.”
They disrupt the status quo
Michelle Alarcon, president of Z-Lift Solutions, Inc., an analytics consulting firm she launched, entered the male-dominated tech industry with eyes wide open.
“I love being a woman in my chosen field, not because I’m unique,” she said. “We don’t want that. I don’t want to be the only woman here. We want more women in this industry. I love being a woman in tech because it allows me to show the younger women that this is achievable.”
That’s a valuable insight for young women who aspire to be in tech but are hesitating because society says being an AI engineer or programmer is just for men.
“Whenever I’m featured as a woman in tech, I’m excited because I know it will inspire at least one girl to go into this field,” said Alarcon.
Similarly, Reina Reyes, a Filipino astrophysicist, data scientist, educator, and public speaker, sees her role in the STEM field as the perfect platform to advocate for inclusion in the industry.
Reyes is known in the international science community as the woman who proved Einstein’s Theory of Relativity. She uses her position as a director at the Philippine Space Agency to inspire the next generation of scientists.
“I am championing young women scientists and queer science professionals from around the country,” Reyes said.
They uplift others through their work
Reese Fernandez-Ruiz wanted to provide women from marginalized communities better opportunities to earn, so she co-founded the sustainable fashion brand R2R (Rags 2 Riches). Now a local and global success, R2R is fulfilling Fernandez-Ruiz’s dreams of forging a path for other women.
“If we all help each other and make each other’s roles better,” she said, “then our families, our communities, and our country will be all the better because of it.”
To empower women to love themselves and feel confident, Jasmine Chua created Issy Cosmetics. The beauty brand’s products are designed to gently care for women: they’re cruelty-free, gluten-free, and paraben-free. The best part is that Chua creates cosmetics suitable for several skin tones.
Echoing Issy Cosmetics’ mission to empower women is local fashion brand Plains & Prints. Its co-founder, president, and CEO Roxanne Ang Farillas fiercely advocates for Filipino artisans, specifically the women who expertly interpret her brand’s designs.
“Women are very strong individuals,” said Farillas. “They can actually lead in many different aspects of life.”
Your turn
Reading about these successful women, one’s natural reflex might be to look inward and think, “I wonder if I’m capable of doing all that, too.”
Of course you are. Just remember a few things while you’re forging your path forward.
Be kind to yourself; kindness is in short supply these days. Give yourself time to work and also time to relax and breathe. When challenges come (and they will), don’t panic. Instead, work harder. Surround yourself with supportive women. They will provide the boost you may need from time to time. Reflect and dig deep into your faith, if this is your upbringing. Above all else, know who you are and trust in yourself. Let your self-love be so loud that it drowns out all the negativity that may come.
You are on your way, queen.
Joining the collective salute for women, Megaworld Lifestyle Malls is partnering with PhilSTAR L!fe to put a special spotlight on the 14 successful women through an exhibit entitled "Her Life: A Celebration of Women Who Lead." Visit it at the Uptown Mall from March 7 to 16, Eastwood Mall Atrium from March 17 to 24, and Venice Grand Canal Ponte Lobby from March 25 to 31.
Produced by Camille Santiago
Photographed by Rxandy Capinpin
Interviews by Arci Claveria
Hair and makeup by Muriel Vega Perez and Team MVP (Rechelle Bicar, Abdul Azis Tando, Stef Yu, Dennis Dioniso, and Lai Glendro)
Video edited by 24 Premium Studio (Kurt Jimenez and Elmo Hidalgo)
Shoot coordinator Andi Cabiling