Moms, frontliners, CEOs: Pinay 'her-oes' share inspiring quotes, stories for International Women's Month
MANILA, Philippines — It's been centuries since women started to fight for their rights, including their place in society.
With March celebrated as International Women's Month, it is important more than ever to celebrate women and their place and purpose.
Here are women who are making their marks in industries and sectors that help shape the world despite the threats of COVID-19 pandemic.
Caye Yambao: COVID-19 frontline hero nurse
A frontliner’s daily grind is different from most of ours. While the general populace is working from home, those protecting and supporting the public from COVID-19 are still bravely serving from their respective “forts”; in groceries, pharmacies, banks and hospitals. Medical professionals are even exposed to health risks to a greater degree. As they deal with the virus head-on, the thought of bringing the sickness to their loved ones at home and the occasional discrimination they experience in the day-to-day put even more weight in the responsibility that they carry.
These thoughts frequently dwell in nurse Caye Yambao’s mind. From an oncology ward charge nurse at a premier hospital in Bonifacio Global City, she was thrust into a most challenging role as a COVID-19 nurse in response to the growing number of cases.
“Shocking and challenging siya, hindi namin in-expect na sobrang dami pala ng may COVID, lalo na noong first wave na first hundred, first thousand cases pa lang sa Philippines. Nag-close 'yung unit namin, which is the cancer unit, and then nadisperse kami to add support sa COVID ward,” Caye recalled.
As a charge nurse with a set schedule pre-COVID-19, Caye was used to having a proper routine and therefore more control over her work and life. But when COVID-19 hit, having a schedule sometimes meant knowing about it on the day itself. The halting of all modes of transportation for the public’s safety further added to Caye’s worries. Three — that is the number of times that she had experienced walking from her home in Mandaluyong to work in BGC.
The hospital later provided its staff with shuttles but Caye also had to hold on to precious sleep.
“Noong wala pang Grab, nagshushuttle ako pero it’s too early. Pasok ko is 6 a.m. Tapos 'yung shuttle pick-up is 4 a.m. Ako 'yung unang pini-pick up. Tapos, siyempre pagod ka sa duty, binabawi mo sa tulog. Kaya lang I need to wake up at 3 or 3:30 a.m. kasi kailangan nasa pick-up point na ako ng 4 a.m. Ako yung first na pini-pick up. Tapos iikutin namin 'yung buong Mandaluyong before makarating sa hospital at around 5:30 a.m. Imagine mo 'yung one hour and a half na itinulog ko pa sana.”
Describing sleep as “priceless” given the usual 12-hour shifts and the mental and emotional toll from her job, Caye chose to use Grab as soon as it resumed its services. GrabCar, in particular, allowed Caye to get additional hours of sleep since she could wake up later than when she had to ride the hospital shuttle. Also, as a health professional, Caye values the sanitation and safety protocols she personally experienced when using GrabCar. She lauded the consistent and strict adherence of drivers to the face shield and face mask requirement, as well as the provision of alcohol and sanitizers and installation of acetate barriers between the driver and passenger’s section for additional safety.
Caye admitted that being a medical frontliner is difficult especially after hearing stories of discrimination from her peers. The instances were more frequent during the early days of the pandemic, but Caye recalled them with sadness and sympathy. She recounted that nurses using the available public transportation were sprayed with alcohol and liquid disinfectant by other passengers due to public fear that they might be contagious with COVID. The public’s reaction led to nurses refraining from wearing their uniform outside the hospital to avoid such unfortunate episodes.
Nevertheless, Caye still affirmed her passion for her chosen path by appreciating the knowledge she gained about the virus from her time spent at the COVID ward.
“The more na nakakaduty ako, mas extensive 'yung mga naging knowledge ko regarding the virus. Mas marami akong alam, mas alam ko yung mga treatment na dapat na gawin, para if ever may family ako na may symptom, alam ko ang gagawin ko," she said.
“What keeps us going is a simple ‘thank you’ and seeing patients smile again after fighting COVID, especially yung mga critical cases. Nakaka-overwhelm. 'Yun ang nag-iinspire sa akin na magpatuloy sa work. I am proud to be a frontliner because I am able to save lives."
Saab Magalona: Nurturing mother
Celebrity mother Saab Magalona sets an example for mothers who are looking for inspiration on how to rear their child into healthy kids.
The vlogger and host knows that good nutrition takes a lot of consideration and careful planning.
"When preparing meals for the boys, I always think about what's healthy for them and what they will enjoy. With the current situation, I want to make sure that they are eating food that will boost their immunity,” Saab shares in her vlog where she also featured the favorite recipe of her son Pancho.
She's mother to sons, Pancho and Vito. It turns out that she has managed to raise a child that loves vegetables.
“Find what your kids love and work with it," Saab related when asked how she managed to achieve what most mothers are struggling with.
For breakfast, she loves whipping up a quick recipe made of broccoli, kale, spinach, eggs, yogurt, and garlic—foods that are all good for boosting the immune system. According to Saab, she makes sure to not only prepare dishes that her sons will love, but she also considers how healthy the cooking process is and how much it can help their overall health.
“I make sure to use everything,” she added, saying that she sometimes even uses vegetable stalks for juicing and making soups. She added that she also considers brands that provide healthier alternatives.
“I also make sure that the oil I use is healthy. I like that Pacific Sunrise is enriched with Vitamins A and B, Omega 6 and 9, plus it has 0 percent cholesterol and trans fat. Also, it is non-GMO so it is perfect for a healthy breakfast for my family.”
Available in leading supermarkets as well as in Lazada and Shopee, Pacific Sunrise cooking oil is a brand of Agri Pacific Corporation (which is under the Rebisco Group of Companies), which advocates healthy and meaningful breakfasts. In addition to being packed with vitamins and nutrients that can boost the immune system, it is also considered best to use for various cooking methods thanks to the healthier processing it goes through compared to non-palm-based oils. On top of that, it has a neutral and clean taste which allows the flavor of anything you cook with it to be the star.
So how does a healthy and happy start to a new day look like? For Saab and her family, it’s a perfect plate of omelette that’s made with love.
Sunshine and Angelina Cruz: Youthful, independent mom and daughter
For at-home and working moms, who selflessly give everything they can to provide the best care for their families, being called losyang is certainly heartbreaking and disempowering. But for actress and mother of three, Sunshine Cruz, the power of a "WoMom" can be reclaimed. They just need to find that perfect partner.
“Kasama sa mga pinagdaanan ko talaga ang Silka. Yes, since 2013. That’s also the time that I got separated, and that was the time that I realized that, you know, I need to be independent. I am now a single working mom,” Sunshine opened up during a recent virtual event.
Being a loyal user of the brand's Papaya soap and lotion for eight years now, Sunshine has gained an immense amount of confidence.
“When I used (the brand) noong 2013, a lot of people are telling me na, ‘Hoy parang mas nag-bloom ka! Bakit parang may ilaw kang dala lagi at nago-glow? And of course, I would share to my friends na it’s because of (the brand).“
Singer-actress Angelina Cruz, who was launched as the brand's new endorser alongside Sunshine, was so happy to share the limelight with her mom.
"Alam ko na she wants the best for me. The world may turn its back on me but I’ll have her by my side. She’s my bestfriend," Angelina said of Sunshine.
"She always teaches me to love myself and always know my worth as a woman… That we should never abuse ourselves and our value."
Maria Nazareth Gepaya: 'Super Biker Mom'
Riders are a common sight in the metro's roads. With delivery services a booming industry during the pandemic, they occupy a large chunk of motorists plying the roads on their way to delivering orders to households.
Among them is Maria Nazareth Gepayo, a mother of two, who works as a foodpanda rider.
Gepayo does her job, whether it is a good or bad day, including riding despite heavy rains to deliver food to a family who had no means of getting dinner otherwise.
As a show of appreciation, she was given a high chair for her kids and a laptop for personal use.
“For rider’s month this 2021, we wanted to celebrate riders and give back for all the work they do, especially since they carry our company's name every day and everywhere they go,” said Daniel Marogy, Foodpanda Philippines Managing Director.
“We not only thank our loyal customers for trusting Foodpanda, but we also want to show our unending gratitude to our riders for serving Filipinos.”
Analyn Sagales, Shiela Reyes-Lao, Gina Aloush, Georgianna Carlos: E-commerce mavens
Four Filipinas show how to brave it in the e-commerce sphere.
For Analyn Sagales, what started as a hobby turned into a business, Jas Healthy Mixed Products, that helped her support her family. She first introduced her products to friends and colleagues at work. During the pandemic, her business increased in sales as more people turned to online platforms for their needs.
Her story serves as an inspiration to others to do what makes them happy. “I can convert my passion for farming to promoting personal and family health through selling organic herb teas and soaps. It’s never too late to start something new, regardless of your age, gender and status in life.”
To help cacao farmers and provide jobs to the women in the community, Shiela Reyes-Lao established 130 Cacao Culture Farms back in 2016. Her interest in agriculture, combined with her love for chocolates, prompted her to bring her business to online platform Shopee. Despite the many challenges, her determination led to success.
“As a female entrepreneur, it’s a challenge to balance work and our personal lives, so I took it as my responsibility to create a workplace culture that is flexible and helps other women thrive. Through Shopee, I can expand my horizons and help others,” she said. “I also believe in continuing education, so we provide our team members and the women in our community the opportunities they need to develop and learn new skills.”
Gina Aloush transformed her passion for protecting the environment into a business online, going from a hobbyist to a full-time environmental entrepreneur and advocate. Sensing the chance to educate others about the environment through eco-friendly products, she opened Habbe Tailoring Shop on Shopee in 2019. Today, she sees steady traffic and sales while continuing to upgrade her digital skills and bring her store to new heights.
“I used to dream of having a business that not only gives me financial freedom but also the opportunity to make a difference. I want to use this business as a channel to help other people and our planet. I consider myself an advocate for the environment and want to sell products that will help conserve Mother Earth’s health and beauty.”
Georgianna Carlos' love for pet and drive towards offering enviroment-friendly pet care products landed her a citation in the inaugural Lazada Forward Women's Awards.
She is among the six cited in Southeast Asia alongside Anne Ong, owner of Anne’s Secret Recipes in Singapore; Pham Thi Xuan Hong, owner of PinkShopGiayDep in Vietnam; Lalilla Thamnita, owner of AggieHome in Thailand; Hanna Suhardi, owner of Shopping Shoes in Indonesia; and Annie Chia, owner of NLWK Florist in Malaysia.
Carlos won the Enterprising Seller Award. She is the proprietor of Fetch Naturals, a pet care company specializing in environmental and natural products.
“I know there are many women making waves in the industry, both in the Philippines and around Southeast Asia, and I am honored to be recognized in the first-ever Lazada Forward Women Awards. I hope this serves as an inspiration for more aspiring female entrepreneurs to embark on their business journeys. It will be great to continuously uplift our community of small local businesses as we learn and grow together,” said Carlos.
Alexangela 'Gila' Salvador: Beauty queen CEO of four companies
Pageant fans are quite familiar with singing, dancing, acting, oration and painting on the spot as talents shown by its contestants. A Binibining Pilipinas candidate from Nueva Ecija, however, stunned the crowd in the recently concluded talent competition when she does an unconventional talent for a beauty queen.
Alexangela “Gila” Salvador, a 25-year-old businesswoman, did welding and carpentry during the talent night of the competition, a refreshing talent from the conventional sing and dance numbers from other candidates.
In an exclusive interview with Philstar.com, Gila said she decided to do that kind of talent to show that women can also do things that men can do.
“'Yung talent ko nga in to competition is nag-welding ako, carpentry. Ako lang yung lalake don. Lahat sila sumayaw, kumanta, naka-heels, ako naka-boots. I wanted to show na hindi lahat ng babae, para masabing maganda siya, she has to work the heels, makeups, there are always ways to show empowerment na you can do things that men can do and things na akala ng tao hindi mo pwedeng gawin. That’s what I wanted to say doon sa talent na yon,” she told Philstar.com.
Gila is part of the Binibining Pilipinas 2020 Top 40 representing Nueva Ecija. She said she joined the prestigious pagent because she was inspired by Miss Universe 2019 Zozibini Tunzi of South Africa.
“I joined Binibini because I was stunned with how Miss South Africa [competed] in Miss Universe. I love her answer. It motivated me that more and more intellectual women are joining pageant like this to show kung anong mga klaseng babae sila. And I got inspired to join on how different she is. I love the way she answers and I love the way she portrays herself. Sobrang confidence, sobrang talino,” she said.
Gila is the Chief Executive Officer and president of four companies, including Madhouse Design and Construction, Madhosted Siargao, Maddev Realty and MadCafé.
She stopped school when she was 17 years old to found her businesses. Now, her business houses almost 200 employees.
“Nag-start ako online magbenta ng mga notebook. Tapos no'ng kumita ako don, nagstart ako ng printing shop hanggang naging construction tapos itong café, naging hotel,” she shared.
“I joined Binibini with a purpose na maka-reach ng mas maraming tao, to inspire them na yung mga ka-age ko hindi kami yung generation na tinatawag na lazy, hindi motivated. Na kami ay sobrang motivated,” she added.
With four companies to manages plus her vlogging, Gila said she asked God for a sign so she can have a purpose in her life.
“People are asking me kung ba't ko ginagawa. I believe kasi na tinanong ko kasi si God kung dapat ba akong sumali. Sabi ko, ‘Lord sali ba ko? Baka madapa lang tayo do'n, hindi tayo pang-pageant.' Tapos tinatanong ko kung may purpose ba ko? Sabi ko, 'Sige, Lord itutuloy ko hanggang sa screening. Pag natanggap baka may purpose ka for me.' Eh natanggap. Inaalam ko kung ano gusto ni Lord for this journey. I’m just actually going with the flow with this one,” she said.
She added that she does not really have a specific aim when she joined the pageant. It was all for the experience. "I’m just here for the experience, to try it out and have an exposure on what I believe in. So okay lang kahit walang crown. Hindi ako yung gigil na gigil to have a crown. I’m more relaxed actually. Have fun lang, natutuwa lang talaga ko."
Lita Igong-Igong and Carmelita Aspiras: Mompreneurs on the rise
In every community, stands a dependable sari-sari store – an icon of everyday Filipino living and one of the micro-enterprises that comprise of 88.45% of the total micro, small and medium enterprises or MSME’s in the country. Often run by hardworking mothers, the sari-sari store is an example of how Pinays contribute 35 to 40% to the Philippine economy.
Despite these facts, sari-sari store and carinderia owners are not taken seriously as entrepreneurs and their support is often perceived as a ‘small’ contribution to the family income.
Because of unconscious gender biases enforced by traditional societal expectations, they deal with the pressure of managing the household as part of their ‘duties’ as women on top of the pressure of handling their businesses.
This leads to the reality of the ‘sara-sara’ stores – sari-sari stores forced into closure because its owners are ill-equipped with the confidence and the know-how to handle numerous obstacles that come with the business.
Lack of capital, rent and location problems, absence of assistance, are just some of the challenges that they experience. And because of the confines that society has imposed upon them, they face these with a fear of seeking innovative solutions, a hesitance of investing in their growth, and a lack of belief in their capabilities.
This is the mindset that Coca-Cola Philippines aimed to shift through the Sari-Sari Store Training and Access to Resources (Star) Program. With an integrated module on gender sensitivity developed with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), the program encourages them to rewrite the scripts that society has written for them by unleashing their economic potential.
Through the module, trainees are made to realize that beyond being homemakers they are decision-makers, that they do not have to do all the household work, and that they do not have to compromise their roles as mothers and wives when they decide to put up a business.
Lita Igong-Igong and Carmelita Aspiras, two mothers who dealt with major life struggles were empowered to overcome these with help from the program.
After Typhoon Pablo, Lita, like many micro-retailers, was financially unprepared to handle the disaster and barely had enough money to start a new carinderia. Carmelita, on the other hand, dealt with constantly depleting inventory and increasing debts which nearly caused her to close her store - her source of income to pay for her children’s schooling.
After the gender sensitivity module, the program continues with multiple modules on business skills and provides access to resources, and access to peer mentoring support necessary to maintain and grow their micro-business ventures.
This is how Carmelita and Lita began learning about how to grow their businesses. Since then, Carmelita has continued to run her sari-sari store and has diversified her offerings to include Filipino desserts, while Lita was able to exponentially increase her family’s income from their carinderia and food catering business from P6,000 per month to P300,000 per month.
More women like Carmelita and Lita have experienced a significant change upon being a STARpreneur. In a 2017 report of the program’s impact, it was stated that 96% of the women shared that their business improved because of the lessons that they applied from the training.
The study was conducted in the span of two years and revealed the best practices that STARprenuers applied to their businesses. After the training, 21% more of the trainees applied percentage mark-ups to ensure their profits while 16% more began record-keeping leading to better financial and inventory management.
As a result, the participants also reported an increase in business revenue by 17% and size of inventory by 20%. Because of this growth, women felt more financially stable with 32% more women feeling very confident about their future stability.
By the first quarter of 2020, Coca-Cola Philippines will be reaching its goal of empowering 200,000 Filipino women – a contingent of its global target to impact the lives of 5 million women all over the world.
Betsy Cola and CJ De Silva: Power on their hands
There are quite a lot of women characters on TV and film who have become inspiration for many women all over the world. Artists Betsy Cola and CJ De Silva are no different, and they showed their love for all these fictional power women through stunning artwork in their own signature style.
De Silva is inspired by the sassy Seo Dal-mi from the popular Korean series "Start-Up."
“I am 100% Team Dal-mi! She’s unapologetically ambitious and street-smart. She’s a pragmatic dreamer who’s fascinated by brilliant ideas and takes risks to bring it to life,” she shared.
She also drew Enola Holmes played by Millie Bobbie Brown. She wished that she had Enola Homes to look up to when she was a young girl. Another young woman she's inspired to draw is Max from "Stranger Things."
“I love Max so much I named our second cat after her. I love how she shook the boys out of their geeky snobbery, beating Dustin at Dig Dug and proving that she’s an essential part of the ‘Party.’ But more importantly, I also love how her relationship with Eleven evolved: from being someone Eleven was initially jealous of, to the best of friends who want the best for each other,” she enthused.
Her fellow artist/illustrator Betsy Cola was inspired by a chess champion, an astronaut and a badass nurse.
“I couldn't look away from Beth's journey in 'The Queen's Gambit.' It was great to watch her embrace her femininity at a time when women have to endure so much in order to be respected in a male-dominated field like chess,” Cola described the lead character of the hit Netflix limited series.
She gushed about how "rare" it is to see a woman at the front and center of a sci-fi Korean flick. Captain Jang from "Space Sweepers" is a "badass leader in every way.”
Sarah Paulson turns another wonderful performance in "Ratched" as the titular Mildred Ratched in Ryan Murphy's psychological thriller.
“She's a complex woman with a traumatic past, and while she has to present a cold front in a male-dominated world, she also gets a queer love story -- which is great to see in a period piece!” enthused Cola.
Anna Maria Locsin: Women's rights crusader
Plan International Philippines country director Ana Maria Locsin calls on women to remain vigilant especially during this time when most people are online.
Crimes against women online have always been an issue with many falling victim to sexual abuse and human trafficking. Plan International's 2020 State of the World Girls Report revealed that hat more than half of girls and young women across the world have experienced online harassment.
It is this alarming incident report that the group is urging the public to remain steadfast and vigilant.
"On this important day of celebrating empowerment and calling for equality, we encourage all girls and young women to raise their voices so they are #FreeToBeOnline. It’s time we see more girls and young women take the lead, claim male-dominated spaces and embrace their vital role in achieving gender justice and sustainable social change," Locsin shared in a statement released on March 8, annually celebrated as the International Women's Day.
Her appeal is more urgent in light of the abuse and harrassment girls and women face online. "We can no longer allow online violence to silence girls’ voices. Let us join those who have been speaking up and contribute to making online platforms safe for all. Let us create more spaces for girls and young women to freely and safely express themselves, participate and lead." — Reports from Jan Milo Severo
