Rakuten Viki Launches “Viki Celebrates Women” Collection for International Women’s Day

SEOUL, March 11, 2026— There is something quietly powerful about settling in with a drama that resonates—the kind that reflects the messy, complicated, and beautiful realities of women navigating life. 

Rakuten Viki, the leading destination for Asian entertainment, is celebrating women around the world this International Women’s Day with a specially curated collection of fan-favorite, female-led Korean dramas. Titled “Viki Celebrates Women,” this collection will be featured on Viki’s homepage, spotlighting stories that champion female-led storytelling– from boardroom power plays to slow-burn healing arcs to memorable romances.

To help viewers get started, Rakuten Viki has selected standout titles organized by mood and resonance, ranging from resilient female leads embarking on journeys of self-discovery to ambitious career women breaking barriers.

For the Nights You Just Want to Feel Something

Love Me 

On paper, Seo Jun Kyung (Seo Hyun-jin) has everything: a respected career as an obstetrician, her life neatly in order. But beneath the composed exterior, there's a wound that never fully healed, a family tragedy she's spent years quietly carrying. When a free-spirited music director moves in next door, her carefully constructed walls begin to shift. Love Me explores vulnerability, healing, and the possibility of letting someone inside your walls.

My Mister

Lee Ji An, portrayed with striking restraint by IU, is young, exhausted, and burdened by debt and obligation. When she crosses paths with Park Dong Hoon (Lee Sun-kyun), a middle-aged engineer struggling quietly within his own life, the connection that develops between them is defined less by romance than by empathy and understanding. Widely praised for its emotional depth, My Mister remains one of the most poignant and quietly powerful dramas of its kind.

Yumi's Cells 

Breakups are messy. Healing is messier. Yumi’s Cells captures this experience through the animated emotions living inside Kim Yumi’s (Kim Go-eun) mind, each representing different facets of her inner life as she navigates love, heartbreak, and personal growth. The series blends inventive storytelling with a relatable exploration of everyday emotions.

Bitch X Rich

Dark, sharp, and gripping, Bitch X Rich blends emotional drama with the tension of a thriller. After witnessing a murder, Kim Hye In (Lee Eun-saem) transfers to an elite high school where power defines the social order and secrets are a means of survival. As she becomes entangled in the school’s ruthless hierarchy, Hye In quickly realizes she must navigate a dangerous web of alliances and rivalries to protect herself.

For When You're Channeling Your Inner CEO

Love Scout

Kang Ji Yun (Han Ji-min) built her headhunting empire from the ground up and thrives in the cut-throat world of corporate recruitment. Despite her professional brilliance, she struggles with the practicalities of her mundane life. When her highly capable secretary begins to play a larger role both professionally and personally, their dynamic gradually shifts in unexpected ways.

Agency

Go Ah In (Lee Bo-young) is determined not only to earn a seat at the table, but to lead it. Agency follows her relentless climb through the ranks of a major advertising firm as she sets her sights on becoming its first female executive. Lee Bo-young delivers a compelling performance in a story that highlights the persistence, ambition, and resilience required to succeed in competitive corporate spaces.

First Lady 

Just as Cha Su Yeon (Eugene) is about to step into one of the most powerful roles in the country, her husband blindsides her with divorce papers. What follows is a masterclass in watching a woman refuse to be written out of her own story. Blending political intrigue with personal drama, First Lady centers on a woman reclaiming control of her future.

For When You Want the Fun Stuff (Romance Included)

Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo 

A beloved coming-of-age story, Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo follows aspiring weightlifter Kim Bok Joo (Lee Sung-kyung) as she pursues both athletic dreams and personal growth. With heartfelt friendships, lighthearted romance, and an endearing lead character, the series remains a standout favorite among K-drama fans.

Doctors

Yoo Hye Jung (Park Shin-hye) was written off early as a rebellious teenager with nowhere to go. After a mentor recognizes her potential, she embarks on a path that ultimately leads her to become a skilled and determined surgeon. Doctors is a satisfying slow burn that rewards patience, and Park Shin Hye is utterly compelling as a woman who built herself from scratch and discovers the mystery of her past.

Suspicious Partner

When legal intern Eun Bong Hee (Nam Ji-hyun) suddenly becomes the prime suspect in a murder case, an unlikely ally emerges in a prosecutor who chooses to help her uncover the truth. Blending elements of legal thriller and romantic comedy, Suspicious Partner offers suspenseful storytelling alongside a compelling central partnership.

From quiet healing to determined ambition, from boardrooms to courtrooms to high school hallways, these stories highlight the many ways women navigate challenges, pursue growth, and define success on their own terms.

The "Viki Celebrates Women" collection is now available to stream on Viki, with even more titles to discover.

Jollibee Group Celebrates Women Farmers Under its Farmer Entrep Program

MANILA, Philippines.– In a sector traditionally associated with men, the significant contributions of women in agriculture often go unrecognized. Official data from Philippine Statistics Authority from 2007 to 2016 shows that about 25% of workers in the agricultural sector are female, but this data may not fully reflect the actual participation on the ground according to a report by the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW).

In its website, the PCW states that “women’s work in agriculture is normally considered to be extensions of their household tasks and therefore not reported as work.” As such, a large number of women may be unaccounted for in the agricultural sector.

In this piece, the Jollibee Group puts a spotlight on the stories of three women farmers who are proof that women can also thrive and succeed in agriculture work. 

Celebrating women farmers

Maricel Sevilleja of San Jose, Nueva Ecija; Noralyn Lopez of Tagudin, Ilocos Sur; and Bernadeth Carandang of Magallanes, Cavite are among the women farmers under the Farmer Entrepreneurship Program (FEP) of the Jollibee Group Foundation (JGF), the social development arm of the Jollibee Group. 

The FEP was started in 2008 to help smallholder farmers become entrepreneurs—they learn technical and business skills so they can improve not only their produce, but also their source of livelihood. JGF partners with various organizations to provide the training and interventions, such as helping famers form clusters, so they can collectively meet the volume and quality requirements of buyers like the Jollibee Group. 

Sevilleja, now 41 years old and a mother of two, started farming in 2006 when her parents became too old to farm. “Farming is not only for men. We can do what men can,” she said. “Farming may be hard but when you think about it, no work in this world is easy. We only need to learn how to love and enjoy our work.”

“To my fellow women farmers, don’t be afraid to grow and learn more about modern farming. For those who would like to become farmers, welcome! Let’s show the world that women can be great farmers too.”

Like Sevilleja, Noralyn Lopez is also a farmer’s daughter. But farming wasn’t her first choice for work. “Six years akong nagtrabaho as office staff. Tumigil ako last year at nagsimulang tumulong sa tatay ko sa pag-supply ng onion sa Jollibee Group,” she shared.” (I worked as an office staff for six years. I stopped working last year to help my father in farming onions to supply to the Jollibee Group.) 

Lopez also shared her encouraging experience: “Wala naman ng gender issue. May gender equality naman na po. Ang mga kasama naman namin sa farming, itinuturing naman na akong kapatid.” (There’s a sense of gender equality. My colleagues see me as their sibling.)

Thriving in agriculture work. Bernadeth Carandang (middle in sky blue) and other women farmers proudly show their harvested onions. Aside from being a farmer, Bernadeth is also a teacher and a leader of the Mag-Samakame farmers' cooperative in Cavite. 

Bernadette Carandang shares the same sentiment. “Kaming mag-asawa, parehong magsasaka. Hindi limitasyon ang pagiging babae para sa ganitong larangan,” she said. (My husband and I are both farmers. Being a woman should never be a hindrance for this type of work.)

Before becoming a farmer, Carandang used to work in an electronics company. Today, she’s also a teacher and a farmer leader of Mag-Samakame cooperative in Cavite. She emphasized the need for sustained programs that help farmers improve their livelihood, such as the FEP.

Helping farmers to become entrepreneurs

“Tinuruan ako ng FEP na gawing matatag na negosyo ang pagsasaka,” Carandang shared. “Bukod sa kaalaman sa makabagong pagsasaka dahil sa mga bigay nitong teknikal na kaalaman, ang paghubog sa aking kamalayan na ang pagsasaka ay isang profession ay hindi matatawaran.” (FEP taught me to turn farming into a stable business. Apart from the technical skills in modern farming that I have learned from them, I have also developed the mindset that farming is a profession. This to me is invaluable.)

The white onions, green bell peppers, tomatoes, and other vegetables that the Jollibee Group uses in select products of Jollibee, Chowking, Greenwich, and Mang Inasal come directly from smallholder farmers across the Philippines like Sevilleja, Lopez, and Carandang. In the last five years, FEP farmers have generated a total of P370 Million worth of sales.

“Jollibee Group po ang aming unang institutional buyer. Tumaas po talaga income namin. Ngayon, plano po namin na mas mapalawak pa ang koneksyon namin sa institutional buyers, in coordination with our local government unit,” Carandang said. (The Jollibee Group is our first institutional buyer. Our income definitely increased. We aim to expand our connection with institutional buyers in coordination with our local government unit.) 

But one of the greater challenges that must be addressed these days is how the younger generation perceives farming.  “Sabi ko nga sa mga estudyante ko, ‘Ano ang gusto niyo maging pag dating ng araw?’ Walang may gusto mag farming. Ngayon, tinuturuan ko sila na ang agriculture ay hindi pang mahirap. Ito ay business. Kung may farmer, may pag-asa,” Carandang said. (I asked my students, ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’ No one wants to become a farmer. Now I’m teaching them that farming is not a poor man’s job. It is a business. When we have more farmers, we have more hope for the future.) 

Capacitating women in agriculture. These women farmers from San Jose, Nueva Ecija, receive agro-entrepreneurship training from JGF and representatives of local government units.  

Globe Group Celebrates Women's Month with Spotlight on New Generation of Female Leaders

As the Philippines observes National Women's Month, the Globe Group celebrates the remarkable rise of female leaders within its ranks, emphasizing a commitment to gender equality and leadership diversity.

The Globe Group continues to be recognized as a hub of excellence for women, with female employees making up 44% of its workforce and holding 53% of executive positions within the organization.

This achievement is particularly significant given the 2022 Global Gender Gap report, which recognized the country as the leader in female representation in the boardroom in the Asia-Pacific region with a 41% rate.

The Globe Group's initiatives go beyond numbers, concentrating on fostering and motivating women leaders to not only succeed in their respective areas but also set the stage for the future generation.

"The success of Globe lies in the diversity and dynamism of our leaders. Our female leaders, in particular, embody the values and vision that drive us forward,” said Ernest Cu, Globe Group President and CEO.

This Women's Month, the Globe Group highlights the ascent of three female leaders who combine their professional pursuits with personal advocacies, driving forward innovations in technology. Their diverse backgrounds and shared passion for excellence exemplify the dynamic and inclusive culture at their respective companies.

Susana Beatriz "Beia" Latay, the newly appointed CEO of KonsultaMD, brings her vision of accessible telehealth services into reality, stressing the importance of informed healthcare decisions. With an illustrious career that includes leading investments in Ayala Healthcare Holdings Inc., she aims to position KonsultaMD as a key player in the healthcare sector.

"Our goal is to serve as a dependable ally throughout our users' healthcare experiences, particularly in moments when the complexity of navigating the healthcare system seems daunting," said Latay.

On the other hand, Joan Peñaflorida began her journey at Yondu as a consultant and has been at its helm since 2014. Under her guidance, Yondu has flourished into a premier IT solutions provider, equipping businesses with cutting-edge technological solutions.

"At Yondu, we believe in harnessing the power of technology not just to drive business forward, but to create an environment where talent thrives and hard work is recognized. I am proud to lead a team that is as dedicated to innovation as it is to nurturing a supportive and engaging workplace,” she said.

In 2019, Peñaflorida was honored with the Asia CEO Awards' Circle of Excellence for her impactful leadership and innovation. In the same year, she was also nominated as EY Entrepreneur of the Year, which is a testament to her forward-thinking approach and leadership.

Meanwhile, Irish Salandanan-Almeida, Globe’s Chief Privacy Officer, leads the company’s efforts in data privacy. Her leadership in promoting privacy awareness reflects a dedication to enabling individuals with the knowledge to protect themselves online, where threats and risks thrive.

"In a world where many of our daily transactions and interactions are online, safeguarding privacy becomes not just a responsibility but a mission. At Globe, we are committed to setting the gold standard for data protection and empowering our customers and employees with the knowledge and tools to secure their information. This commitment is deeply personal to me, especially as a mother striving to create a safer digital future for all our children,” she shared.

The Globe Group remains dedicated to uplifting Filipino lives through innovative solutions, with women leaders at the helm steering the company towards a brighter and more inclusive future.

For more information about Globe Group and its Women's Month initiatives, please visit www.globe.com.ph.

UPS and Partners in the Philippines Journey toward Equity and an Inclusive Future

UPS Philippines is celebrating Women’s History Month this March. Since the early days of the company’s 115-year history, women have long been equal contributors to UPS’s success. In the spirit of Women’s History Month, UPS is spotlighting how the company and its partners continue to work toward a common goal of driving greater gender equity and inclusivity.

A nation lifted by women trailblazers

Women have played a significant role in shaping the Philippines’ economy, culture, and society since its founding days. Gabriela Silang, Josefa Llanes Escoda, and Melchora Aquino fought for the country’s independence, the late former President Maria Corazon “Cory” Aquino led the country’s peaceful revolution in 1986, and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa who fearlessly defended freedom of expression in the country.

With a culture that is deeply respectful of women, the Philippines ranked 19th out of 146 countries in the World Economic Forum’s 2022 Global Gender Gap Index, stripping past many nations in the East Asia and Pacific region. Filipinas’ road to achieve equality has indeed gone a long way with the passage of the Magna Carta of Women, a law which seeks to eliminate discrimination while supporting the rights of women.

Representation in manufacturing and logistics industry

Filipino women today actively participate in traditionally male-dominated industries including manufacturing and logistics. The consciousness on equality and inclusivity ushered in positive changes in business leadership.

“Having more women in manufacturing and logistics brings diverse perspectives and ideas to the table, which can lead to more innovative solutions to business problems,” said Russell Reed, managing director of UPS Philippines and Thailand.

Reed said UPS has actively built an inclusive workplace where employees have equal opportunities to contribute and succeed. The company’s values are rooted in equity and inclusion that thrives inside and outside its walls. Female employees are encouraged to participate in leadership development, mentorship, and networking opportunities internally, to empower them for growth.

Partnering with like-minded businesses

UPS partners with manufacturers like Teradyne Philippines, LHK Creation, Inc., and Gameville Corporation who advocate gender equity.

In 2020, testing equipment maker Teradyne launched Women In Teradyne (WIT), a program aimed at better understanding the value of increasing women representation in its workforce. Jacqueline Briones, an executive at Teradyne, took part in the WIT training and went on to formulate programs aimed at nurturing a more diverse workforce.

Moreover, Briones, who serves as worldwide parts service operations director and Philippines site director for Teradyne, also established a diversity, equality and inclusion program in Cebu. One of the program’s focus is to increase the proportion of women employees, including in leadership roles, from 30% to 35% in two years.

LHK Creation, Inc., a garment producer for brands like J.Crew, Chico’s, Banana Republic and Brooks Brothers, is a business mostly run by women. Women account
for 66% of its management and leadership team.

General Manager Fe Y. Abrihan credits the company’s resilience, adaptability, and flexibility to such a workforce mix, which was evidenced when the company withstood challenges brought about by the pandemic that disrupted production in 2020 and 2021 and the Taal volcano eruption in 2020.

With women being a majority in the company and many married with children, LHK established an employees' grocer that stocks powdered milk, soaps, sugar, cooking oil, rice, and other necessities at wholesale prices. It also set up a fund to provide cash advances at zero interest and with longer payment terms for employees to pay for tuition fees, hospitalization bills, as capital for setting up a small business, or buying a personal vehicle for transportation needs.

Gameville Corporation, a manufacturer of sports uniforms, also pursues equity and inclusion for employees and customers, according to the company’s Finance
Officer, Arlene Balagbagan.

Balagbagan stressed that gender doesn’t define a staff’s role in the company. All individuals are encouraged to find opportunities that can help them grow professionally. Through the leadership of Gameville’s empowered female managers, Balagbagan practices an open-door policy culture in the company to build an environment where help can be easily sought.

Journeying to closing the gender gap

While it will take the world another 257 years – according to the World Economic Forum – to achieve economic gender equity, companies like UPS and its partners
are continuing to do their part to bridge the gap.

For UPS, equity means creating and sustaining an inclusive world that removes gender stereotypes and discrimination. The Women’s Leadership Development committee organizes activities – financial literacy seminars, donation drives and social gatherings – to promote the growth of female UPS employees.

Beyond the workplace, the company is strengthening its support for women-owned small businesses through The UPS Foundation’s
Women Exporters Program (WEP).
The WEP has helped nearly 31,000 women exporters globally to overcome free trade barriers through partnerships with government agencies, non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders.

UPS also partnered with The Asian Trade Centre Foundation in 2022 for the
Asia Women Exporters’ Mentorship Program,
which allows women business owners in Asia to learn digital entrepreneurial skills, and be better equipped to boost their competitiveness and
cross-border trade.

The road to gender equity is an ongoing one. The company continues to invest in training, such as unconscious bias training to ensure employees are aware of what biases they may bring to work and how they affect those around them. To date, more than 95% of management employees have completed the training.


About UPS

UPS is one of the world’s largest companies, with 2022 revenue of $100.3 billion, and provides a broad range of integrated logistics solutions for customers in more than 220 countries and territories. Focused on its purpose statement, “Moving our world forward by delivering what matters,” the company’s more than 500,000 employees embrace a strategy that is simply stated and powerfully executed: Customer First. People Led.

Innovation Driven. UPS is committed to reducing its impact on the environment and supporting the communities we serve around the world. UPS also takes an unwavering stance in support of diversity, equity and inclusion. More information can be found at www.ups.com,
about.ups.com and www.investors.ups.com.

Hidilyn Diaz and Bea Alonzo headline Manulife’s “Filipina In Action” webinar to celebrate International Women’s Month

Manila ― In celebration of International Women’s Month, life insurer Manulife Philippines, the local arm of global financial services group Manulife, will feature Manulife brand ambassador and Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz, and award-winning actress and entrepreneur Bea Alonzo in its upcoming webinar titled, “Filipina In Action: In Business and in Health.” These successful Filipino women will share their stories and insights on how to take charge of one’s life through self-empowerment and self-belief, and managing mind, body and finances well to secure a better future.  

Slated for March 24, Thursday, at 3:00 pm, the webinar will be hosted by journalist and LGBTQIA+ member G3 San Diego, and will also feature advice from certified life coach Carelle Mangaliag-Herrera. 

“In our recent Manulife Asia Care Survey, we found that 81% of Filipinos surveyed have experienced mental health symptoms in the past six months, and majority of them are Filipino women. These symptoms include feelings of sadness, difficulty in sleeping and excessive worrying. In pursuit of our mission to support Filipinos’ overall wellbeing and empower them to make healthier choices, this webinar aims to guide them further in overcoming challenges and harnessing their power to achieve their life goals,” said Melissa Henson, Chief Marketing Officer, Manulife Philippines. “With Bea and Hidilyn at the forefront of this important conversation, we are confident that we can continue to advance diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), promote more opportunities for women to thrive, and reinforce the important role that women play in building better and stronger communities.”

Manulife’s global DEI thrust includes supporting and promoting women empowerment and advancement in the workplace, while driving greater inclusion of various communities so everyone can truly belong. In 2020, the UN Women Asia-Pacific Women's Empowerment Principles (WEPs) recognized Manulife Philippines as one of the most gender-inclusive workplaces in the country. 

Those interested in joining the webinar can register at manulife.pub/FilipinaInAction. 

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About Manulife Philippines 

The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company opened its doors for business in the Philippines in 1907. Since then, Manulife’s Philippine Branch and later The Manufacturers Life Insurance Co. (Phils.), Inc. (Manulife Philippines) has become one of the country’s leading life insurance companies. Manulife Philippines is a wholly-owned domestic subsidiary of Manulife Financial Corporation, among the world’s largest life insurance companies by market capitalization. Learn more about Manulife Philippines by visiting their website www.manulife.com.ph and following them on Facebook (www.facebook.com/ManulifePH), Twitter (@ManulifePH), and Instagram (@manulifeph).

About Manulife

Manulife Financial Corporation is a leading international financial services provider that helps people make their decisions easier and lives better. With our global headquarters in Toronto, Canada, we provide financial advice and insurance, operating as Manulife across Canada, Asia, and Europe, and primarily as John Hancock in the United States. Through Manulife Investment Management, the global brand for our global wealth and asset management segment, we serve individuals, institutions and retirement plan members worldwide. Our principal operations are in Asia and Canada, and the United States, where we have served customers for more than 155 years. We trade as 'MFC' on the Toronto, New York, and the Philippine stock exchanges and under '945' in Hong Kong. In the previous 12 months we made CAD$31.8 billion in payments to our customers. Not all offerings are available in all jurisdictions. For additional information, please visit manulife.com.

UN Women Celebrates Women Empowerment

Manila, Philippines — Winners of the annual Women's Empowerment Principles (WEPs) Awards for 2020 and 2021 gathered at the ceremonial kickoff of the “WEPs Winners Circle" to celebrate gender equality champions and discuss how to push for women's empowerment, gender equality, diversity and inclusion across the workplace, marketplace, and community last December 3, 2021, at the Dusit Thani Manila Hotel, Makati City.

Organized by the UN Women programme WeEmpowerAsia and the European Union, the WEPs Awards recognizes leaders, businesses, and companies operating in the Philippines for their achievements in advancing gender equality in business.

With COVID-19 posing several challenges for women whose responsibilities go beyond their role in the workplace but also at home, companies were encouraged to step up to ensure that women remain a crucial member of the workplace and help advance their participation despite the adversities. Champions of the UN WEPs Awards are testament to how women can still succeed given the right platforms and opportunities. 

UN Women Philippines Country Program Manager Lenlen Mesina welcomed the winners at the event after onsite gatherings had to be postponed due to the pandemic. “The work that you all do is not just translating in the companies where you operate or you serve. It also creates impact on the communities where you belong. Today, outside handing over the trophy as sign of recognition, we would also like to share with you the vision on how we can move forward, we hope for you to add voice and amplify the changes we need to make to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment within and outside your businesses, companies, organizations, households and to other communities as well,” she said.

The event kicked off with special messages from key program partners, including the European Union. Mr. Christoph Wagner, EU Delegation Head of Cooperation, reiterated how the EU prioritizes gender equality, women empowerment, and socio-economic development and the role women play in accomplishing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). “Companies, and the private sector in general, can play a crucial role in empowering women. But this is not self-evident. You have shown the way and have provided best practices - in the marketplace, your own work environment and the communities you’re working with. Thank you for that!” he said.

EU Gender Champion and Her Excellency Saskia de Lang, Ambassador of the Embassy of the Netherlands in the Philippines, said, “We recognize that to better address the gender gap, we need women to represent women’s interests and ideas; to make decisions; to take the lead. Therefore, having women leaders such as yourselves in corporate leadership opens opportunities for many more women. We need to recognize that gender gaps and barriers still exist and if left unchecked and unchallenged, they will hamper inclusivity and progress.”

Meanwhile, UN Resident Coordinator Mr. Gustavo Gonzalez as keynote speaker highlighted that the Philippines is making a substantive progress in gender equality, compared to other Asian countries. He also shared that the new normal is presenting new opportunities for gender equality and women empowerment. “We have to harness such opportunities to foster more inclusive business models. Experience shows that gender equality not only improve working environments but also enhances innovation and reinforces sustainability. In this transformative process, we should not forget to incorporate and address the needs of women, as workers, business leaders and decision makers,” he shared.

Photo 2. WEPs Awards 2020 & 2021 Winners in a focused group discussion called “Winners Rising Up to the WEPs Challenge” to discuss about contributions and actions need to achieve Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in business, workplace, and marketplace.

Creating the path ahead

Mesina challenged all the winners by facilitating a group discussion called “Winners Rising Up to the WEPs Challenge” for them to brainstorm and share ideas for collaboration that could contribute further to the achievements of five out of the 17 SDGs including SDGs 1 (No Poverty), 5 (Gender Equality), 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), 10 (Reduced Inequalities), and 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

The discussion gave way for winners to create action items for collaboration and benchmarking, while encouraging each other to replicate their successful programs across different communities. 

Jourgie Hornilla, HR Manager at Shell Business Operations in Manila, shared key pointers such as the importance of setting themselves as role models for other women and educating not just women, but also men, to help remove unconscious biases in the workplace.

Representatives from Investing in Women, Philippine National Bank, and Procter & Gamble summarized their recommendations in four points: the importance of leadership commitment in gender equality to be able to achieve programs and plans; how crucial data is in decision-making, creating action plans, benchmarking, and measuring success; why sharing best practices is a must in order to learn from other successful businesses; and why gender inclusivity it is not always about the bottom-line but also about retention of and growing the best talents in the workplace.

Breaking lavender ceilings

In 2020 and 2021, WEPs Awards honored gender equality champions who continued to set the bar high for solutions on gender equality. The awards aim to encourage more businesses to push for programs, policies, and participation of women in decision-making and to create more opportunities for more women to feel empowered and capable to lead.

It had received over 300 applications in 2 years and named thirty (30) companies and businesses awarded to date. BAYO, which bagged as the Champion of Gender Responsive Marketplace category in the Philippines and the Asia Pacific region and 2nd runner up for Community Engagement and Partnership category in this year’s WEPs Awards. 

“Through UN Women, we can all share our common stories to create a stronger voice and narrative. From there, we can have a stronger spring board for all of these actions to start a similar course. It would really help to organize discussions, coming up with set of ambassadors to be in the core front for communication. But, it is not enough for us to tell them what they can do, it’s also good that they [the companies] are prepared and knowledgeable so they can be in that position to also be pervasive to the change we are encouraging them to do,” shared Ms. Anna Lagon, CEO and Co- Founder of BAYO.

The Women’s Empowerment Principles is a framework introduced by the UN Women and UN Global Compact in 2010 to stir action from the private sector to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment in leadership, workplace, marketplace and community. To join the WEPs, visit https://www.weps.org/join.