Smart powers the 2025 FCC Women’s Run PH

Mobile services provider Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) is joining the celebration of the International Women’s Month by powering the highly anticipated 2025 Filipina CEO Circle (FCC) Women’s Run PH on March 9, Sunday at SM Mall of Asia Complex.

At Full Volume: Support the voices and experiences of Spotify’s Filipina Creators all year long

Celebrating Women’s Month, Spotify has partnered with leading Filipina creators to amplify their voices and stories. The music, lyrics and voices coming from these Filipinas are complex and vibrant, and Spotify champions women in audio through its programs and playlists all through the year.

Through Spotify’s EQUAL, a year-round initiative dedicated to women in music, female artists have collectively received nearly half a billion streams within their first month of joining the program. EQUAL Philippines amplifies artists like chart-topping singer-songwriter mrld and the Cebuana hip-hop hitmaker Karencitta, while Pinay Voices spotlights podcasts from creators including Paano Kung…, Let’s Pretend It’s 2AM, and Free Yourself Podcast. Spotify shares an exclusive glimpse into the perspectives of these trailblazing Filipina audio creators. 

Breaking Boundaries through Audio

Filipinas have diversified the creative ecosystem through courage and determination. For some, pursuing a dream means inspiring others to become better versions of themselves. RADAR ambassador, Meriel de Jesus, more popularly known as mrld and the voice behind hit songs including “Ligaya” and “Ikaw Pa Rin,” recounted how her journey as a budding artist took perseverance: “I remember staying up late, researching how I can share my craft to the world.” 

For Ria Ramirez of Let’s Pretend It’s 2AM, becoming a creator meant breaking through her sense of self-doubt. “Starting a podcast was something that I considered doing, but was afraid to pursue. But people around me made me realize that I had a voice that was worth being heard.” 

Other voices in the field are driven by passion and purpose to inspire others. “It’s a powerful feeling because you can make a huge imprint onto someone’s life instantly,” said EQUAL ambassador Karen Ann “Karencitta” Cabrera-Caballero, who famously made waves with the release of her debut song “Cebuana” which proudly champions her Bisaya roots.

Gayle de Chavez of Free Yourself Podcast creates content with the hope of inspiring others. “I enjoy being a creator, pursuing the things that I love, and at the same time helping people love themselves.”

Technology Powering Gender Equity

Beyond the drive to thrive, these inspiring Filipinas leveraged technology as a partner in their creative journey. 

 

Spotify EQUAL artist Karencitta, who started recording her own music at the age of 13 and now has over 220,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, shared that she learned through exploring tech with many trials and errors. Radio DJ and Creator of Paano Kung… podcast Joelle shared, “I am grateful that technology and a platform as special as Spotify enables us to share our stories more openly and find other people who inspire us!”

mrld highlighted how Spotify helped her flourish on the local and global stage. “Through Spotify, a lot of people were able to discover my craft, and it paved the way for me as a female artist. EQUAL is very uplifting as it gives the spotlight to female artists.”

Although platforms and initiatives have unlocked a wealth of opportunities, the journey for female creators is not without its challenges.

 

Joelle opens up. “I feel the challenge when I have to double or triple check what I say just to make sure it’s right. I've been afraid to speak up because people would talk over me, or make me feel like my feelings and thoughts weren't valid.” mrld also noted how there is room to give more visibility for women in the creative field.

At the same time, creators express their optimism and appreciation for the positive changes in the industry. “Nowadays, I think there is a space for both men and women to create freely,” Ria points out.

Unlocking the Creator in Everyone

Spotify Creators, Joelle, Ria, and Gayle, mrld and Karencitta, share their advice with the hopes of inspiring young Filipinos out there. 

I. Celebrate Individuality and Authenticity 

• EQUAL ambassador mrld: “Always believe in yourself. No one is going to be there for you till the end except yourself. So don’t be too hard on yourself and continue to trust the process.”
• EQUAL ambassador Karencitta: “Kung bisag asa pa ta e butang sa kalibutan, di gyud natu malimtan ang Filipino traditions and values. Ayaw kalimot kung asa ka gikan. E taas gyud na ang bandila.”

  

II. Embrace Vulnerability

• Ria of Let’s Pretend It’s 2AM: “There’s no need to hide the broken parts of yourself because it is in this brokenness that you have grown to be who you are. Let that process not only inspire you but others too.”
• Joelle of Paano Kung…: “It can be scary for anyone to be vulnerable, but the exciting possibilities in opening up and connecting with others outweigh the fear. I get to do this now, because the younger me took a chance, opened her heart, continued to hope and try, despite the uncertainty, fear, and worries.”

 

III. Invest in Oneself

• Gayle of Free Yourself Podcast: “Continue investing in yourself and being curious about everything. Don’t seek validation in the form of other people’s opinions, and don’t be afraid to speak your mind and your truth.”
• EQUAL ambassador Karencitta: “Embrace learning” 

Keen to discover and support female creators? Tune in to Spotify’s EQUAL hub and Pinay Voices. 

Women of PLDT and Smart: keeping cybersecurity, network services up and running to serve Filipinos

Innovative cybersecurity and resilient network are key pillars of PLDT and its wireless unit Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) in serving their customers. Working 24/7 behind the scenes are women technology specialists who have dedicated their expertise to elevate the experience of Filipinos.

 

In a world where almost everything has become digital, a secured network has become a must. For Cyber Security Incident Response Team head Katrina Atienza, it’s no easy feat. "We predict, prevent, detect, and respond to cybersecurity incidents attacking PLDT and Smart 24/7, 365 days a year. We contain threats to make sure that PLDT and Smart’s network is a secure and safe environment,” Ms. Atienza said. This effort led to PLDT and Smart fending off more than 182 million cyber-attacks and attempts to breach their digital assets as of end-2022.

 

“It's not a 9-to-5 job. Our enemies, they don’t sleep. And we are fighting these hackers trying to steal our information, steal our data. So, I am really proud that I belong here. We're not only securing PLDT and Smart, but we’re also securing communities,” she added.

 

Engineers Zyla Miguel and Chanty Salas are part of the critical network field services of Smart that support, restore, maintain, troubleshoot, and ensure that sites are up on a day-to-day basis. When Odette struck Palawan in 2021, Engineer Miguel was part of the team who monitored, supported, and deployed assistance to those on-ground, to successfully restore the services of the network during the aftermath of the disaster.

 

But being a woman in a highly male-dominated industry was not entirely a walk in the park for the network engineers. Ms. Miguel shared that there was an instance where she was disapproved on a role as field engineer because she’s a woman. “They said that the possibility of me being on field is low because my needs as a woman might affect my efficiency on site.”

 

For Ms. Salas, her job made her discover plenty of things about herself. “During my younger days, I was someone that you would call ‘kikay’ that even my classmates way back in college could not believe that I was assigned to do fieldwork,” she shared. “But I like the fact that I am a woman working in an industry that is mainly dominated by men. I know that the weight of the responsibilities are heavy, but that makes me feel stronger and capable of accomplishing anything in this life. Although some of our activities require physical strength like lifting heavy spares during trouble isolations, as a woman engineer, that doesn't limit my capability in restoring our sites. We contribute by working hard to equip ourselves with in-depth knowledge in commissioning, integration, and other technical ways.”

 

Empowering women in the workplace

Gender equality is high in the agenda of the group’s Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) initiatives, as an equal opportunity employer in the country. In 2021, PLDT and Smart became the first Philippine telcos that signed up as members of the Philippine Business Coalition for Women Empowerment (PBCWE), to achieve large-scale organizational transformation through evidence-based strategies and best practices in the workplace.

 

“It doesn’t matter what your gender is, or how you identify yourself, as long as you have the heart, passion, and commitment,” Ms. Atienza shared. For her, the struggle as an expert in a highly technical field comes from within. “It’s really me questioning myself – am I right for this job? So, it’s about having the confidence in yourself. Take one step at a time and give your best every day. It will reflect in your character and output.”

 

Ms. Miguel added, “It makes me proud, sometimes when we pass by buildings or sites, I can say, ‘Uy, yung site na ‘yan, naakyat ko na ‘yan!’ All opportunities are open for us. We are not excluded because of our gender, especially in our field, where the number of women is few. It felt like I always belonged.”

 

“I am grateful to work in a company who recognizes the impact of women's contribution in the workplace. We are given opportunities to express our abilities and skills. Our strengths -- which can make an impact to the team -- are highly emphasized. Learning from successful people has enabled me to approach situations with alternative perspectives and a better understanding in my chosen career,” Ms. Salas said.

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.  

LRMC continues to make change for LRT-1 women, caps off Women’s Month with Women’s Bazaar

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These Filipino women are kicking up a storm in the male-dominated esports industry. Here's how they do it.

Every year, the world celebrates International Women's Month by commemorating females' social, political, and economic achievements. This year's theme: "We make change work for women," resonates with the call for gender balance in leadership and preparing women to reach their ambitions. 

Many notable Filipino women have pushed the boundaries in their chosen careers from different industries such as economics, politics, education, and entertainment. For one, Weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz became the first-ever athlete representing the Philippines to win a gold medal in the Olympics. 

However, in esports, women continue to face prejudice and struggle to make it to the forefront. Going by the numbers, the industry is widely dominated by male users. Wide-scale competitions are mostly organized for male gamers, and only a few are part of the professional scene. 

As one of the leading international game developers and publishers, MOONTON Games goes one step further for female gamers, to produce equal opportunities to have professional careers in esports and make an environment where they are able to thrive. In partnership with ONE Esports, MOONTON Games kickstarted the MLBB Women's Invitational (MWI) to invite top female teams to compete in the Southeast Asia region to create opportunities and promote inclusivity amongst the community. 

This International Women's Month, MOONTON Games honors Filipino women and celebrates their achievements. Meet the Filipino women in mobile esports and know how they are paving the way in the male-dominated industry:

1. Mara Aquino, MPL-PH Host

Mara began her reporting career as a courtside host. Last year, she was one of the masters of ceremonies (MCs) on the 3x3 basketball event in the Tokyo Olympics Summer Games. She took a giant career leap and started her hosting at Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Professional League - Philippines (MPL-PH) Season 7, her first foray into esports.

As a female host, Mara shared that it gives more flair and feel to the broadcast. "I love that I can give a different perspective to the show. Now, it's not just men that people get to see in the esports scene, and women can also be role models, and that is empowering."

Mara revealed that she has been receiving messages from girls asking for tips in hosting and getting rid of their stage freight. "It's nice that I can give these girls an idea. Everything starts from a peg—and to be that inspiring woman that opens their eyes—that's empowering to me."

Seeing a bright future for women in esports, Mara shared that the industry is relatively young and growing, and so are the people taking interest in it as a future career. "I can see women not just as hosts and casters, but also as players. They can be their own girl boss."

2. Chantelle Hernandez, MPL-PH Caster

Chantelle is currently the one and only female caster in MPL-PH. She joined MOONTON Games as a freelance female commentator on screen in Season 8 of the MPL-PH. 

Before, Chantelle would feel inferior because of not seeing enough females in the industry. As a woman in esports, she shared that the inferior perception of women was the challenge she experienced in the past. 

"If you are a woman, people think you are weak. They will not give you the same opportunities they give to men—and that's hurtful."

“Every time I felt that I was not given the same, equal respect and opportunity just because I am a woman, I would stand taller. For me, you can never ever let a strong woman down— I should know because I learned and witnessed this through my mother.”

Chantelle broke all the biases as she joined MOONTON Games in 2021. "To all the women out there, believe in yourselves. Never lose faith and hold on to your dreams. You are stronger than you think. You are you, and no one can take that away. Stand tall and break those walls. It is normal to make mistakes along the journey, nourish it, learn, and grow from it."

"Grateful to MOONTON Games for opening opportunities to Filipino women. With this we could achieve the equality and diversity that we have been longing in the field of esports." she added.

3. Pam Maloles, MPL PH Logistics Manager

When it comes to production, it is Pamela Maloles who calls the shots along with fellow manager Aislinn Soriaga. She joined MOONTON Games to lead the MPL-PH logistics and do all the leg work needed to ensure Filipino fans witness seamless matches that are broadcasted online. 

Prior to joining the company, Pam was organizing large-scale corporate events and concerts. According to her, the path for women in esports might not be easy, but it is important to take the first step. 

"Break the barriers or stereotypes and think that you can do it. Women can be streamers like Chantelle or a host like Mara. In the professional side, women can handle planning and events like me. We can do great because we handle pressure so well. Our impeccable attention to details is also innate."

"Im grateful to MOONTON Games for making the environment equal for women. In and out of the game, they recognize our hard work," she added.

In relation to women empowerment, MOONTON Games recently launched the "Tear It Off" campaign to defy stereotypes experienced by Filipino gamers whether they are women or part of the LGBTQ+ community. The company also celebrated International Women's Day by allowing female employees to take a half-day off as a breather. 

"Women representation is important to us, so we make sure to provide opportunities for Filipinos regardless of their gender. We do this by making sure that we create an environment free of prejudice toward women and always recognize their valuable contribution to mobile esports," said Jason Li,  Esports Marketing Head, MPL Philippines.

Get to know more about MOONTON Games and the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Professional League - Philippines. Visit the following official social media platforms:

• Website: https://ph-mpl.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mplph.official
• Facebook community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/552408582749930
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/MPLPhilippines
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mplph_official?lang=en

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