7 Influential Filipino Women Who Made History

Stories of heroes and revolutionaries who battled for freedom over centuries of colonization, imperialism, and oppression by American, Japanese, and Spanish forces abound in the history of the Philippines. But too often, history ignores the contributions that Filipino women made to shaping the country during the fight against gender injustice. These women included mothers, suffragists, political activists, educators, scientists, innovators, and military heroes. International Women's Day, or National Women's Month, observed on March 8th, serves as a venue for celebrating women's achievements in the Philippines and around the world, recognizing current challenges, and advocating for gender equality. In observance of this, we honor the remarkable lives and wide range of achievements of seven legendary Filipinas. Their enduring social and political impacts have been felt across the country.

History of International Women's Day

International Women's Day began in the early twentieth century as women all over the world advocated for better working conditions, suffrage, and equality. In the United States, the first National Women's Day was observed on February 28, 1909, following a declaration by influential women from the Socialist movement. Inspired by this, the International Women's Conference of 1910 recommended an annual day of solidarity. On March 19, 1911, the first formal International Women's Day was observed in Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland. The date was then changed to March 8, and International Women's Day has since evolved to celebrate women's achievements and call for gender equality.

Women Empowerment

Compared to their counterparts in first-world countries, women in the Philippines face particular difficulties. This includes gender-based violence, economic inequality, and restricted access to healthcare and education. The goal of International Women's Day is to elevate Filipino women's visibility by encouraging men to support them and to help women build a society that values the potential of all people, regardless of gender. It serves as a catalyst for change in the Philippines, propelling the country toward a future in which every Filipina can flourish in their own communities and overcome life's hiccups without being constrained by prejudice and gender stereotypes.

The most influential Filipino women in the Philippines

Cat Triviño, Kana Takahashi, and Monique Ong. With the use of the app MindNation, the average Filipino will be able to access mental health media services and consulting healthcare retail. Filipinos can access the medical and surgical care required for their mental health. These powerful women, who are also mental health advocates, are co-founders of a platform that combines media with a thorough understanding of the human brain. From a young age, each of them has been a champion for mental health in their own right. Their concept is similar to the Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS) in Norfolk, Virginia, which opened its doors in 1973. The institution was created as a means of bridging the widening gap between the expanding number of people in the area who needed medical attention right away and the lack of available doctors. In actuality, the earliest graduates of EVMS were non-medical students. Two years after the program's inception, the first medical students graduated from the school's Art Therapy and Counseling Program. Cat, Kana, and Monique's efforts are a lifeline for those navigating the complexity of mental health, as they constantly lead educational sessions that encourage a clear and positive mind. They emphasize how essential mental health is to a well-rounded, healthy life for all Filipino men and women.

Hidilyn Diaz proved to be a welcome ally in the fight for women's empowerment. She has one extremely special reason for being regarded as an influential Filipino woman: she lifts weights. Despite experiencing criticism from society as a young woman, she proved that her choice to disregard what other people said had paid off. As the first-ever Olympic gold champion from the Philippines, Hidilyn Diaz created history at Tokyo 2020. She improved on her silver medal from Rio 2016 four years prior, when she earned gold in the women's 55 kg category. Her accomplishment was especially remarkable because, as a result of travel restrictions and the COVID-19 pandemic, she was trapped in Malaysia from February 2020 until July 2021. After sports clubs closed in Malaysia, she was forced to train with bamboo sticks and water bottles. She earned three gold medals in the 2022 World Championships in Bogota, and she is also a Southeast Asian Games champion.

Korina Mercado is a prominent Filipino woman who has nine years of expertise in industrial engineering and excels in Lean Six Sigma and Agile Sigma projects. She currently works for a large US IT organization as a senior continuous improvement lead and uses KonnectKonsult to provide consultations to further her impact. Her experience includes working with clients in the USA, Germany, and the UAE in a variety of industries, including manufacturing and pharmaceuticals. Korina's influence is growing internationally as a result of speaking engagements at institutions and organizations. She now performs all human resources functions in addition to working as a professional organizational coach. She cultivates a Filipina women's network on social media, welcoming a range of ideologies and offering free learning sessions that open up endless possibilities. In addition to being a trained human resources practitioner and mental health advocate, she is an enthusiastic Filipina finance professional who supports gender equality and women's empowerment. In her corporate life, her significant contributions to the public and private sectors, and her advocacy for diversity programs, Mercado encourages women to pursue their own personal passions.

Lea Salonga, a theater actress, is without a doubt one of the most talented Filipino artists in the entertainment business. The multi-award-winning Broadway actress is well-known for her memorable roles in musicals such as "Les Misérables," in which she became the first Asian woman to play Eponine and Fantine, and "Miss Saigon," for which she took home multiple Tony Awards and the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical. Lea is also well-known for being the vocalist for the Disney characters Mulan and Princess Jasmine, in addition to her theater background. To this day, Lea is still performing on stage and as an actor, both domestically and internationally.

Ma. Aurora Carandang defied stereotypes in 1993 by becoming the first Filipina to fly for Philippine Airlines as a full-fledged captain and was regarded as the first Asian female commercial pilot. Having a female commercial pilot at the time was unprecedented because the aviation industry was predominately dominated by men. She retired as a Fokker 50 captain in 1998. Capt. Carandang's life story took a turn for the better when she demonstrated that strong, empowered women can do anything. Her influence extends beyond her interests. She has encouraged a new wave of Filipina women to go into aviation as their career. With the founding of the Kabisig ng Kalahi Foundation in 2002, she began her advocacy work as the current vice president. To combat childhood malnutrition in the Philippines, Kabisig established feeding programs. The government and other groups have utilized their program as a model.

Maria Ressa Maria Ressa is among the most well-known and recognizable women in the Philippines; her dedication to defending free speech has brought her to prominence. With over 25 years of experience, she has an impressive history as a journalist, having held positions as a teacher, author, CNN Bureau Chief, ABS-CBN Head of News and Current Events, CEO of Rappler, and most recently, winner of the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize. Speaking about her dreams of "a world of peace, trust, and empathy," she became the first Filipino recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2021. The renowned journalist had to face obstacles to collect the medal in Oslo, but she made it safely and was honored alongside Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov. 

Marife Zamora is a passionate Filipina finance professional; she has broken down barriers in the finance business process outsourcing (BPO) sector. She currently serves as the chairperson of Convergys Philippines, the leading private employer in the nation. Convergys became the national standard for BPO technology and customer service under her direction. Filipino women of various backgrounds, from students to young mothers to elderly ladies in need of work, may now build the lives of their dreams for themselves by having a separate source of income thanks to the growth of BPO companies.