16 Filipino 'Wonder Women' named

This International Women's Month, several organizations honored some Filipina women who excel in showbiz, art, sports, science, business, and other previously male-dominated fields.

On March 8, International Women's Day, multinational agency J. Walter Thompson gathered the following women leaders to empower the next generation of Filipinas.

Hidilyn Diaz, Armie Jarin-Bennett, Pia Cayetano and Issa Cabreira

Hidilyn Diaz, weightlifter

Long before she ended the country’s 20-year Olympic medal drought by claiming silver in the 53-kg division of the women’s weightlifting event at the 2016 Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Hidilyn Diaz accomplished an even greater feat: she smashed the stereotype of a female in two male-dominated fields. Through the years, the four-foot-nine native of Zamboanga City has won medals from the Southeast Asian Games, Asian Games, and other international weightlifting competitions. An Olympian since 2008, Diaz is also a member of the Philippine Air Force, with the rank of Airwoman First Class. Voted Athlete of the Year in 2016 by the Philippine Sportswriters Association, she now has her eyes on the ultimate prize: a gold medal in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Armie Jarin-Bennett, CNN Philippines president

At CNN’s headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, Armie Jarin-Bennett has done it all: starting as a production assistant in 1997, she rose the ranks as floor director, teleprompter operator, video journalist, and writer for the US news bureau, before being promoted to producer of its 24-hour news channel Headline News, then moving to CNN International in 2000 as a supervising producer and executive producer. She has also seen it all, capturing history as it unfolds in segments that have not gone unnoticed.

In 2012, she received an Emmy Award for Outstanding Live Coverage of a Current Event for the coverage of the Egypt Revolution; the following year, her coverage of Typhoon Haiyan earned her an Emmy nomination. “It’s stressful sometimes, but what job isn’t, and I love it, it’s so fulfilling,” said Jarin-Bennett in a Philippine Daily Inquirer interview. Her latest assignment—president of CNN Philippines—is a demanding job, but one she is able to handle with the love of her husband and kids. “Their news is what I look forward to at the end of each day.”

Pia Cayetano, politician

As a two-term senator (in 2004 and 2010), Pia Cayetano championed various women’s, children’s, and health causes; among them, the Magna Carta for Women, (Republic Act 9710), Expanded Senior Citizen Act (RA 9994), Expanded Breastfeeding Promotion Act (RA 10028), Mandatory Infants and Children Health Immunization Act (RA10152), and the landmark Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012 (RA 10354).

Presented with the Rising Star Award by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation at the third Women Deliver Conference in 2013 for her efforts in passing the RH Law, Cayetano also became the first person to receive the Jade Ribbon Award from Stanford University’s Asian Liver Center in 2014. This accolade recognizes her contributions to legislation and awareness-raising on Hepatitis B and liver cancer, the latter of which her father, esteemed Senator Rene Cayetano, succumbed to in 2004.

Elected congresswoman of the second district of Taguig City in May 2016, the lawyer, entrepreneur, triathlete, and mom is also the head of Bike for Hope (which advocates environmental awareness and a healthy lifestyle), Pinay in Action (which promotes women empowerment through sports), and Gabriel’s Symphony (a foundation that provides support to children with disabilities and special needs).

Issa Cabreira, Globe Telecom senior vice president / head of consumer mobile marketing

Cabreira helms a team tasked to steer its subscribers to the digital age. Mission accomplished: under her leadership, Globe constantly introduces a range of exciting products, services, and packages that promise cellphone-savvy Pinoys the complete digital experience.

Of late, country’s leading telecommunications provider forged a partnership with US search engine Google to increase smartphone and internet penetration in the Philippines. This partnership involves the launch of Android One devices from affordable homegrown cellphone brands Cherry Mobile and My Phone.

Trickie Lopa, Tina Sabarre, Vicki Belo and Melissa Henson

Trickie Lopa, art advocate

Lopa once described herself and partners Dindin Araneta and Lisa Periquet as “crazy” advocates of accessible art. Perhaps that’s why Art Fair Philippines, their annual exhibition of contemporary visual art, mixed media art, and installations, has become the go-to event of more and more Filipinos since its launching in 2013.

Filled with thought-provoking pieces curated in a relaxed and unpretentious atmosphere, Art Fair Philippines draws discerning collectors as well as members of the selfie generation. “We are the world’s window into Philippine contemporary art,” said Lopa in an interview with the "Philippine Star." “We have provided a platform, a window to what’s happening in the current art scene. Because of this platform, artists have stepped up, galleries have stepped up. We are, I guess, raising the bar for Philippine art.”

Similarly, information technology company Google Philippines and online female magazine Cosmo.ph shone the spotlight on female trailblazers in the field of science and technology, and highlighted the role that technology, especially the Internet, plays in enabling women to succeed.

Tina Sabarre, Johnson & Johnson country director for retail

Sabarre is on top of several empowering campaigns. “Teen-powerment” uses special publications and talk tours in schools to encourage young Filipinas to speak up about national and personal issues that affect them. Meanwhile, a partnership with the Drugstore Association of the Philippines led to the creation of a mobile application designed to professionalize pharmaceutical assistants; through this app, PAs can improve their knowledge and handling of the products they sell, and promote health education among clients. Sabarre was a brand manager for Selecta in the ‘90s before joining J&J in 2006.

Vicki Belo, Belo Medical Group chief executive officer

Dr. Victoria Belo is currently the CEO and Medical Director of Belo Medical Group. Now known as ”The Philippines’ No. 1 Beauty Expert and Doctor to the Stars”, Dr. Belo obtained her Bachelor of Science degree from UP Diliman and completed her Degree of Medicine and Surgery at the University of Sto. Tomas. She later got her Diploma in Dermatology from the Institute of Dermatology in Bangkok, Thailand. Dr. Belo furthered her studies in Dermatologic and Laser Surgery at the Harvard Medical School in Boston, and at St. Francis Memorial Hospital at the University of California in San Francisco.

Her efforts in promoting the business of beauty in the Philippines has made Belo a household name. She has played a pivotal role in making the practice of Dermatology and Cosmetic Surgery one of the fastest growing industries in the Philippines. Her craft is inspired by her goal to make the Philippines the most beautiful country in the world, one person at a time, and she is constantly inspired to make weight loss and skin solutions simpler and more available to everyone.

Melissa Henson, Manulife Philippines senior vice president and chief marketing officer

In a country where insurance adoption is in the single digits, Melissa Henson certainly has her work cut out for her. As such, the Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of Manulife Philippines oversees a number of initiatives that spark public interest and engagement: popular celebrities are tapped to promote Manulife’s “Start Your Story” campaign, while a program called “ManulifeMOVE” rewards clients with discounts on their policies if they exercise daily and monitor their activities on a fitness tracker and app.

Previously with the banking industry, Henson joined Manulife in 2015 and is in charge of its marketing, branding, community service, customer insights and promotion, and events activity. With over 15 years’ experience as a marketing professional, Henson brings her considerable knowledge of market strategy, branding, advertising and marketing communications, customer research and insight, corporate communications, and eBusiness and innovation to the company.

Rosario Oreta Lapus, Stephanie Sy, Valenice Balace and Ros Juan

Rosario Oreta Lapus, Miriam College president

Dr. Lapus is currently the president of Miriam College, a Catholic women’s college established by the Maryknoll Sisters in the 1920s. Dr. Lapus is known for her student-centered philosophy, innovative and forward-looking programs, and people-oriented work style. As an educator and administrator, Dr. Lapus has been principally engaged in the areas of teaching and learning, human development and education, as well as healthy and productive aging. She served as Massachusetts Statewide Coordinator for its Healthy Aging program on Fall prevention.

Dr. Lapus earned her doctorate in Education at the University of the Philippines, and holds two Master's degrees: Master of Education from Boston College and MS in Gerontology from the University of Massachusetts in Boston. She also did postgraduate work for three years at the Harvard Graduate School of Education as a visiting scholar-researcher. She has diplomas in French studies from the Universite de Grenoble and the Universite de Paris a la Sorbonne. She completed her undergraduate work at Assumption Convent where she finished Bachelor of Arts Major in Foreign Service, cum laude. She is a member of both the Sigma Phi Omega (Honor & Professional Society in Gerontology) and the Pi Lambda Theta (Honor & Professional Association of Women in Education).

Prior to her appointment as President of the College, she served in many key administrative positions for the institution: Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dean of the Graduate School, Dean of the College, Chairperson of the Department of Child Development and Education, and High School Principal.

Stephanie Sy, Silicon Valley data scientist

Sy is the founder of Thinking Machines Data Science, a data science consultancy that helps clients from big organisations, global nonprofits, and award-winning media organisations make data-driven decisions at all levels by leveraging data and machine learning to solve business problems.

Stephanie started her career at Wildfire, a social media technology startup in Silicon Valley. After Wildfire’s acquisition by Google, she built data analysis tools at Google before coming back to Manila in 2013. She graduated from Stanford University.

Valenice Balace, Forbes' '30 Under 30 Asia'

Valenice is currently the CEO and Managing Partner of Honesty Apps -- a dating, conference and community apps platform. She started Peekawoo, a Philippine-based social dating app. In 2016, she became part of Forbes’ first ever “30 Under 30 Asia” list under the consumer tech category which highlights the young talents emerging in Asia. She is also one of the 300 young game-changers in the region.

She previously worked at Smart Communications and Voyager Innovations as a developer, analyst, QA, and was later on promoted to Product Manager. She has an extensive background in Location-Based Systems, Network, Architecture and Systems, Mobile Manufacturing and App and Website Development.

Valenice graduated from De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde in 2009 with a degree in Computer Applications.

Ros Juan, entrepreneur

Rosario “Ros” Juan is a third-generation entrepreneur who has combined her passion for Philippine coffee with her role as social media strategist to great effect.

She is the CEO of Commune, a cafe + bar in Makati that specializes in all things coffee, serves comfort food and cocktails, and hosts community events. She’s also a digital strategist and advocate for social good whose strength lies in social media integration, advising small and medium companies, and spearheading a number of citizen-led digital initiatives such as @TweetupMNL and #rescuePH.

While her heart lies in all things Pinoy and local, Ros also possesses a global mindset with her past stint in Shanghai, China, after entering the Shanghai Jiao Tong University to study the Mandarin language. Her many travels abroad also enabled her to learn more about various coffee cultures and the latest digital trends.

Despite her seemingly busy schedule, Ros still finds the time to personally attend to her café customers, whipping up a cup or two for their enjoyment.

Monette Iturralde-Hamlin, Rowie Matti, Chesca Garcia-Kramer and Rica Peralejo-Bonifacio

Monette Iturralde-Hamlin, publicist

Maria Montserrat Iturralde-Hamlin (Monette) is the founder and president of TeamAsia, an award-winning integrated marketing communications firm.

Monette concurrently serves as Chairman of the Philippine Association of Convention/Exhibition Organizers and Suppliers; Chairman of Hopkins International Partners, Inc.; and a Trustee and Treasurer of the Women's Business Council of the Philippines. She served for three consecutive years on the Tourism Promotions Board as Director representing the Meeting, Incentives Travel, Conventions, Exhibitions & Events Services & Facilities Sector. Monette has been recognized by the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Philippines as one of the recipients of the 2016 CEO Excel award.

Rowie Matti, educator

Rowena “Rowie” Juan-Matti is an educator and the CEO of Galileo Enrichment Learning Program, Inc. Her passion for education comes from mother, Ma. Rosario Tambunting-Juan, who started Sacred Heart School (SHS) in 1968. Her involvement in SHS at a young age inspired her to be an educator, and her desire to help improve the educational system in the Philippines increased after she took her Master’s Degree in Entrepreneurship at the Asian Institute of Management.

Rowie’s strong personal advocacy for educating children and helping them achieve their potential inspired her to create Galileo Enrichment Learning Program. It is one of the country’s first learning centers that gives enrichment lessons on Singapore Math and financial literacy.

Rowie is also a Google Educators Group (GEGs) Leader for the Makati CBD chapter. GEGs are communities of educators who learn, share, and inspire each other to meet the needs of their students through technology solutions, for the classroom and beyond.

Rowie is one of the Outstanding Women by the ASEAN Women Entrepreneurs’ Network in 2016 and an awardee of Go Negosyo’s Inspiring Women Entrepreneurs of 2016.

Chesca Garcia-Kramer, multimedia personality

Chesca is a TV host, actress, social media personality, YouTube creator, and model. She’s also a full-time mom to Kendra, Scarlett, and Gavin, and wife to her husband, Doug Kramer. Together, they are known as “Team Kramer”, one of the most popular celebrity families in the country today.

She started in the entertainment industry in 1992 when she joined the youth-oriented variety show, Ang TV. From then, she played many different roles in soap operas and movies.

In 2015, she hosted “Mommy Hacks," a parenting lifestyle show on CNN Philippines, with Rica Peralejo-Bonifacio. The show was renewed for a second season but was renamed “Mommy Manual” for GMA News TV.

Together with Rica and Marilen Faustina-Montenegro, Chesca is working on 100% Whole Mom--a passion project manifesting in a series of workshops for mothers in order to empower and teach them about the home, beauty, and heart.

Chesca will also be launching a series of children's books called “Team Kramer Values and Healthy Habits” this June.

Rica Peralejo-Bonifacio, multimedia personality

Regina Carla Peralejo-Bonifacio, more known as Rica Peralejo in the Philippine entertainment industry, is a professional performer (actress, singer, dancer, host) for the local film and television industry. In 1992, she was part of the popular youth oriented show Ang TV and from there, she naturally graduated into doing more serious projects. She started taking on mature roles and had the privilege of working on movies, soap operas, and variety shows alongside the biggest names in the industry.

Prior to her current lifestyle television show on CNN Philippines called “Mommy Hacks,” where she is a main host together with Chesca Garcia-Kramer, she was also a regular host on "Umagang Kay Ganda," a daily morning news-oriented show on ABS-CBN for around four years. ?

?From stage performances Rica has then transitioned into talk show hosting, journalism, and writing. Her contributions appear in several magazine publications, and is largely followed on her personal website. Her usual topics include faith, marriage, motherhood, home improvement, and is an inspiration to many for being honest and vocal about her being a work of transformation, redemption, and redefinition.