PDI’s Women of Power ‘catalysts for action’
Legal luminaries. Educators. Business leaders. Athletes. Environmentalists. Peace workers.
For the third consecutive year, the Philippine Daily Inquirer recognized “Women of Power” (WOP)—leaders, advocates, achievers and breakers of the glass ceiling in their respective fields.
The WOP Awards honor them not only for their personal accomplishments but also for their positive impact on their respective communities or sectors.
“This has evolved into more than just an annual recognition, it has become sort of a movement, a platform for dialogue and a catalyst for action,” said Sandy Prieto-Romualdez, CEO of Inquirer Group of Companies, at the awards ceremony held on March 24 at the Hilton Manila, Pasay City.
Twenty-five women were cited this year out of the nominations made by the different sections of the paper. They were chosen “based on individual measures of excellence but more importantly on their impact on the community,” said Inquirer executive editor Volt Contreras.
“Behind this award are the values and the sense of mission that drive us as a media institution. Our honorees tonight were chosen not only because they made headlines at one time or another, but because their stories are always worth retelling,” he said.
Prieto-Romualdez said: “As a media group, Inquirer has always been committed to amplifying the voices of women, not just in March but every day of the year. Through PDI, Inquirer.net and our other platforms, we champion stories of strength, leadership and transformation. We believe that storytelling is a powerful force for change, and by these narratives that we put to light, we help pave the way for more women to lead, influence and thrive.”
PDI associate publisher Juliet Labog-Javellana added, “We also report on the continuing struggles of many women to generate the important conversation about the reality of our world, where women have greatly advanced in conquering heights, but where barriers preventing women from realizing their full potential remain.”
Testament
Labog-Javellana is testament to PDI’s commitment to empowering women not just on its platforms but also at the workplace. She was an award-winning PDI reporter who has since risen the ranks to become one of the leaders in the newsroom. “Women empowerment is in the Inquirer DNA,” she said.
“We have broken the highest glass ceiling twice, having had two women presidents … In 2021, a global study ranked the Philippines as having the highest percentage of women in senior leadership positions among 29 large economies in the world … Recently, Supreme Court Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo shared that more than half of sitting judges in our trial courts are women, with two women associate justices sitting in the high tribunal, including Associate Justice Amy Lazaro-Javier,” she added.
Lazaro-Javier, who also serves as president of the Philippine Women Judges Association and vice president of International Association of Women Judges, said she was “extremely honored” for the recognition.
Human rights lawyer and activist Kristina Conti, another awardee and one of the lawyers representing the families of drug war victims in the case against former President Rodrigo Duterte at the International Criminal Court couldn’t be present at the ceremony. But she sent Llore Pasco, mother of two victims of the drug war, to accept the award on her behalf.
“I am the mother of two sons who were killed in 2017 during Duterte’s war on drugs … Only a few dared to help us during Duterte’s time. Only a few were willing to speak, only a few were doing something. Good thing our lawyer’s family name is also Conti.”
She was one of those from the National Union of People’s Lawyers who stood up for us,” Pasco said.
Conti spoke in a video sent from The Hague. “Allow me to accept this for the mothers, wives, children and sisters of the victims who are the true power behind me, and also on behalf of women who stood up against abuse and oppression,” she said.
Voices of women
Sen. Risa Hontiveros, another awardee, also gave a message. “Through my work in the Senate, I have intentionally used this platform to push for laws and policies that would benefit not just we, women today, but also the generations of women yet to come … I do hope that I get to continue to amplify the voices of us women,” Hontiveros said.
She thanked the women who have appeared before her Senate committee to testify against human trafficking by offshore gaming operators and exposed the abuses of religious leader Apollo Quiboloy. “Because of their stories, because of their testimony so crucial to government investigation, we have made the powerful accountable … We celebrate these victories because of the women who chose to use their voices to speak truth to power. I share this award with all of them,” she added.
She also emphasized the importance of “fighting for what is right and just and true.”
“At a time when our country cannot even seem to agree on a baseline of facts, it is even more important that papers like the Inquirer stand up to those who diminish, distort and silence what is real. It is even more crucial to push back against lies. It is even more necessary to assert the truth,” the senator said.
Other awardees include Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas monetary board member Rosalia de Leon; former Museo Pambata president Bambi Mañosa-Tanjutco; health advocate Dr. Geraldine Zamora; actress Kathryn Bernardo; scientist and professor at the University of the Philippines Diliman’s National Institute of Physics Maricor Soriano; filmmaker and Project 8 Projects cofounder Antoinette Jadaone; education and health advocate Dr. Ofelia Samar-Sy; president and COO of Primary Structures Educational Foundation Inc. School of Knowledge for Industrial Labor, Leadership and Service Paulette Deduque-Liu; Robinsons Land Corp. president and CEO Mybelle V. Aragon-GoBio; Culiat Elementary School teacher Sabrina Ongkiko; culinary heritage and folk culture advocate Mary Rose Gemma Rodriguez; community organizer, peace advocate, and social entrepreneur Felicitas Pantoja; peace worker and childcare advocate Dr. Arlyn Jawad Jumao-as; vice president of New Naia Infrastructure Corp. Cecile Ang; commissioner of the Women’s Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League Haydee Ong; BPI Asset Management president and CEO Maria Theresa Marcial; and Shell Pilipinas president and CEO Lorelie Quiambao Osial.
Boundless potential
Rudyard Arbolado, president and CEO of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, told awardees: “Your stories inspire us. They are powerful testaments to the strength of determination and the boundless potential within each of us … May this recognition not only honor your past achievements but also fuel your passion for the future.”
Megi Ochoa, a jiujitsu world champion who is working to protect children from online predators, said she was inspired to see women from different fields standing out.
Lt. Col. Rowena Muyuela, who made history—herstory—as the first marine commander, said the recognition motivated her to do more to make an impact on other women.
PDI also awarded Edna Sarmiento, an environmentalist who has led conservation efforts to protect Masinloc-Oyon Bay in Zambales.
“I hope more women can join in the movement so they won’t be belittled as women,” Sarmiento said.
UP College of Law dean Darlene Berberabe thanked PDI for “celebrating women.”
“Occasions like this are very much welcome because they will inspire young children and hopefully our children will find a lot of role models so that they will feel confident and they will feel loved and supported by women,” Berberabe said.
Lynette Ortiz, president and CEO of Land Bank of the Philippines, said it was a privilege to be among the 25 awardees. “I’m also very happy that the work in Landbank is equally affirmed and acknowledged because all 12,000 of us are really trying to pull together to empower communities and to help and to do our part in nation building,” she said.
