WOMEN ON TOP
NINAD. AGUAS
Executive chairman, Insular Life
The Filipino now is empowered, global, very smart and innately resourceful and creative. Maabilidad. The traits of a woman that I bring to
my job are experience, wisdom of the years, honesty, passion, determination, sense of humor, creativity and grace. And yes, willingness to admit I am not Wonder Woman. Hard to imagine our world without the women. A change I’ve seen in the insurance business is that people are finding the courage and practical answers to provide for loved ones. When people ask me about Filipinos, I say they are a gift to the world; We are a people of faith, happy, caring, excellent cooks and truly blessed to have been born with nicely blended skin tone (not too light nor dark — just right).
I am inspired by my children for their early wisdom, pursuing careers and financial emancipation, raising their babies while determined to do their share of caring and being there for others... not letting the absence of perfection get in the way.
FAITH FERNANDEZ-MONDEJAR
Director for communications, Avon Asia Pacific and Philippines The Filipino now is braver and bolder and in many ways fearless, more competitive, confident and openminded. Gone are the days of the skittish Filipinos. The traits of a woman that I bring to my job
are the natural tendency to put her heart in what she does and to care for the people around her.
My dream for the country is economic recovery and prosperity; that would be an easy answer, but I also dream of a country where every Filipino takes genuine pride in being Filipino. Women bosses in the workplace are different
from men because women are naturally inclined to be caring and nurturing. This comes out as genuine sense of caring for the members of the team. And when people feel they are being cared for, engagement is higher. The one incident that made me realize I am
in the right job was when I spent a day with an Avon representative as she went to the branch, knocked on doors as she visited customers, collected payment from customers who were hiding from her, and then had lunch that consisted of crackers and soda in plastic bags at a corner store that was along the way. It made me realize how Avon is such a big part in the lives of so many women in the Philippines. And it was humbling
to know that the work I do helps in making a difference in the lives of women and their families.
I am inspired by people who choose to be strong, brave, optimistic and kind.
The things that make me happy are being with my husband and kids; weekends and holidays are the best! Spending time with the courageous breast cancer survivors of the Avon PGH Breast Cancer support group.
MYRISH T. CADAPAN-ANTONIO
Director, Center for Public Leadership, Harvard Kennedy School
The Filipino now is comfortable in his own skin, warm, independent, hardworking and resilient, technologically savvy, open-minded and innovative, and a global citizen.
My dream for the country is that we find the courage to understand our unique sense of identity so that we can reclaim it and as a people know what kind of nation we would like to become.
A good leader is one who deeply understands the privilege of serving others and makes this sense of responsibility a firm guide to action; one who does monopolize knowledge and so practices reflection, listening and noticing, and leads by example. We need more deep listening, unity, public dissent for abuses, leadership by example, truth to power. We need less impunity, silence, apathy, selfishness, fake news. What I love about the Philippines and Filipinos in general are our warmth and hospitality, and our formidable resilience. The things I am passionate about are random acts of
FE PEREZ-AGUDO
President and CEO, Hyundai
The Filipino now is a global citizen whose influence is felt in a vast number of fields. The best road trip to take in the country is Sagada, Mt. Province. You’re like on top of the world, driving up to the clouds. The trait of a woman that I bring to my job is the heart to drive passion and energy in the business. The stereotype of women drivers and car owners is not true. Anyone can learn to be a great and responsible driver. The one incident that made me realize I am in
the right job was my father’s provocative question: Would you rather be a tiger in a small forest or a small fish in a big pond? I am inspired by other women who spark their own personal revolution — their “why” in life — and move to make it happen. The thing that makes me happy is when my family overcomes hurdles and challenges. I would take a first-time visitor to the Philippines to all beaches famous for their pristine sands and crystal-blue waters. But it’s really the character of our local people that drives us to be global. Our hospitality showcases the warmth of the Filipino experience, serving and helping visitors beyond the extraordinary. kindness and helping make this world a better place for our children.
When people ask me about Filipinos, I say that we are a warm, hard-working and happy people. We know how to find the silver lining in challenging situations and always excel in the fields where we work because helping others gives us so much joy.
The things that make me happy are stories of women and underrepresented persons breaking glass ceilings, listening to my boys talk about their day, magnificent displays of nature.