“Tell yourself, ‘I am brave, I am strong, I am fearless and I will succeed’”
Some of the world’s most powerful leaders are women. Take Kamala Harris, for example, the vice president of the United States, and Christine Lagarde, who assumed the highest position at the European Central Bank after heading the International Monetary Fund for almost a decade. Filipino women are making their mark, too: we have had two female presidents. Award-winning journalist Maria Ressa became the first Filipino Nobel Peace Prize laureate in 2021. In the same year, Hidilyn Diaz took home the country’s first Olympic gold medal in weightlifting, a sport often associated with men. And Melanie Perkins, a Filipino-Australian businesswoman, leads Canva, a multi-billion-dollar tech company. These public figures prove that gender is irrelevant to ability and success.
Women also feel their presence in government and public service across the Philippines. The 2022 National Elections, for example, installed 33 female mayors in local government units (LGUs) alone. For the first time in history, the cities of Manila and Malabon elected their first female mayors, Dr Honey Lacuna-Pangan and Jeannie Sandoval, respectively. The recent elections also produced several young players like Donya Tesoro, the 30-year-old mayor of San Manuel, Tarlac, and Sheena Tan, the mayor of Santiago, Isabela. This growing female representation is proof that women can and should lead.
Tatler speaks with four public service trailblazers leading some of Metro Manila’s most progressive cities. They share with us their journey and how they intend to use their influence to amplify their advocacies and to address some of the critical issues, especially those involving women and gender equality, affecting society today.
JOY BELMONTE
MAYOR, QUEZON CITY
When Mayor Joy Belmonte entered public service, she ran on a platform centred on gender equality. It is no surprise that many of the programmes she focuses on today are geared towards women, children and the LGBTQ+ community. Her beliefs stem from the idea that everyone should have a fair chance from the
