TP in the Philippines Champions Women Empowerment and Inclusivity

TP in the Philippines (formerly Teleperformance) marked Women’s Month with a series of meaningful activities that promote empowerment, intersectionality, and leadership with TP Women. Through these initiatives, the organization continues to reinforce its steadfast commitment to building inclusive workplaces where women can thrive both personally and professionally.

TP Women is a global employee network that provides women across the organization with a platform to be heard, supported and empowered in their personal development and professional careers.

Inclusivity, Empowerment, and Stronger Policy for Women

Among TP’s initiatives for Women’s Month was ‘Harmony Queentuhan,’ a culture and belonging initiative that created a space for women employees to share their experiences and reflect on intersectionality in the workplace.

The discussions centered on the concept of who women are beyond their professional and personal roles, recognizing how their personal realities and responsibilities intersect with professional life and shape their experiences in the workplace. The dialogue also gave the women a platform to explore ideas for strengthening policies and opportunities for women to grow and lead.

TP in the Philippines also deepened its institutional commitment to promoting a safe and inclusive workplace through its "Building a Safer, More Inclusive Workplace for Women at TP" toolkit. The material outlines the company’s  resources, policies and support frameworks for women, covering provisions such as its Anti-Sexual Harassment Policy, Battered Women Leave, and Magna Carta for Women.

Capping the Women’s Month celebrations was the ‘EmpowerHER Leadership Summit,’ serving as the cornerstone event, which brought together leaders, advocates and allies across TP in the Philippines to discuss the realities of women in the industry, especially in an era increasingly shaped by AI.

Women in Leadership and AI

The company also participated in the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines’ (ECCP) International Women’s Day celebration, ‘Women Who Shape Tomorrow: Giving to Gain Progress,’ where Toni Tompar, Executive Vice President for Operations for TP in the Philippines, delivered an impactful message on the future of women in leadership.

A central theme of her address was the intersection of emotional intelligence (EI) and artificial intelligence (AI). Tompar encourages leaders to reimagine traditional corporate structures, and embrace human-centered skills to navigate challenges.

Tompar also shares that the most forward-thinking teams operate in favor of outcome-driven behavior and performance, emphasizing the importance of creating spaces where women can excel without the constraints of outdated structures.

“It’s important we look at what we call the ‘invisible backpack’ that women continue to carry such as time constraints, social expectations, and physical circumstances,” Tompar said. “These are barriers that greatly affect the opportunities we have to focus on and further our careers.”

Her message called on organizations to support and mentor emerging women leaders, break barriers, and champion inclusion as a foundation for modern business leadership. The forum also featured Operations Vice President Nina Kristine Abad as a panelist, contributing insights on supporting women leaders and fostering inclusive workplace practices.

TP also took part in the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the Philippines’ (CCIFP) forum, ‘Inclusive Intelligence: Women Advancing AI for Philippine Development.’

The session explored how female leadership is pivotal in ensuring that AI development remains equitable and inclusive in the Philippines, reinforcing the importance of women’s voices in shaping equitable, responsible and people-centered technological advancement.

“At TP in the Philippines, inclusion is not a one-time effort. It’s something we continuously build into how we support our people. When individuals feel seen and valued, they are empowered to grow and lead,” said Rachel Cacabelos, Vice President for Human Resources at TP.

As the future of work continues to evolve, TP in the Philippines continues to set a standard for workplace inclusivity and women empowerment in the IT-BPM industry. The organization continues to create pathways for women to thrive and succeed through equitable opportunities, supporting communities, and sustained leadership development.

‘All Included’: PLDT, Smart Launch AI Workshop to Empower People with Disabilities and Break Digital Barriers

 

Tech for inclusion just got smarter. PLDT and Smart are harnessing the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enable more persons with disabilities to access digital innovations. The move expands the PLDT Group’s efforts to reduce inequality and narrow the digital divide.

 

“Technology is the great equalizer,” said Stephanie V. Orlino, AVP and Head of Stakeholder Engagement at PLDT and Smart. Through AI, we’re creating a future where persons in challenging circumstances can participate in a digitally powered economy, and where ‘All are Included’.”

 

To mark the 14th Global Accessibility Awareness Day, the PLDT Group partnered with long-time ally ATRIEV (Adaptive Technology for Rehabilitation, Integration, and Empowerment of the Visually Impaired) to launch an AI for Accessibility training module tailored for persons with disabilities. ATRIEV is a pioneer in ICT-based solutions for persons with disabilities, those affected by chronic illness, as well as stakeholders working for and with persons with disabilities.

 

“Assistive technology can open doors for persons with disabilities. AI can boost independence among persons with disabilities in performing day-to-day activities. The digital innovation can also help improve communication between learners with disabilities and their teachers or carers,” said Carolina C. Sam, Chief of Operations at ATRIEV.

 

To widen the program’s reach, PLDT and Smart piloted a workshop for trainers attended by SNED (special needs education) teachers from the Department of Education schools divisions of Makati, Taguig City and Pateros (TAPAT), and representatives from the National Commission on Disability Affairs (NCDA), Resources for the Blind, and Parents, Advocates for Visually Impaired Children (PAVIC). Using a hands-on, rotating station setup, participants experienced AI-powered apps, guided by instructors who themselves are visually impaired.

 

The module included exploring ‘ChatGPT,’ an AI chatbot that helps in writing, translating, researching, and more, all in human-like text conversation.

 

Participants also explored ‘Seeing AI,’ a mobile app that “speaks” the world -- describing people, objects, text, barcodes, currency, and even emotions – via smartphone camera.

 

The workshop also covered applications for persons with hearing and speech impairments like ‘Live Transcribe’ speech-to-text transcription and ‘Speech Assistant AAC’ text-to-speech app.

 

One station also demonstrated how voice-activated smart speakers can control home devices to turn on lights, play music, set alarms, read out the news, and even answer general knowledge questions.

 

“In our school, we have Deaf learners who are not familiar with Filipino sign language which makes it hard for us to communicate with them. I often use white boards to converse with them but it’s quite cumbersome. Now, with speech assistive applications, these tools will make it easier for me to teach the lessons to my students,” said Karen Rose Sumandal, SNED teacher at Western Bicutan National High School in Taguig.

 

“In our division, SNED teachers often handle students with different disabilities. These intuitive digital applications can help our SNED teachers choose the right tools to communicate more effectively with their students,” said Dr. Osarlo Cantos, EdD, Public Schools District Supervisor/ Division SNED Coordinator, DepEd Schools Division of Makati City.

 

In the past two years, PLDT and Smart’s partnership with ATRIEV has helped train and digitally upskill persons with disabilities, preparing many for employment or entrepreneurship, and transforming them into confident professionals.

 

Through their pioneering IDEATe (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity Advocacy through Technology) program, the PLDT Group reaffirms its mission to uplift the lives of persons in challenging circumstances and to support the country’s pursuit of UNSDG 8 on Decent Work and Economic Growth, and UNSDG 10 on Reduced Inequalities.