The Philippine Daily Inquirer held the Women of Power Awards on March 11 at the Seda Hotel in Bonifacio Global City. There were 38 awardees (including a trio of women who were awarded as one group), in keeping with the newspaper’s 38th anniversary. The theme of the evening was “Breaking Barriers, Building Bridges: A Tribute to Women’s Leadership and Resilience”.
The awardees represented a diversity of sectors including business, public service, human rights, the arts, sports & wellness and the environment. Different as they all are, the awardees are alike in many ways. All work hard, have leadership skills and are creative, compassionate and courageous. During the program, Philippine Daily Inquirer Executive Editor Volt Contreras explained how the awardees had been chosen. To quote him, “It is not in the titles or ranks you possess, the company targets you meet or the projects you launch, but in the lives you actually change, the risks you take and the conditions you improve.” He also stressed that the evening was about paying tribute to all women, not just the awardees. After all women the world over have been making a difference in the lives of those around them.
Standing alongside people who are now household names like Lisa Gokongwei-Cheng, Doris Magsaysay Ho, Joanna Ampil, Mae Paner a.k.a. Juana Change, Margarita Fores, Dolly de Leon, Celine Murillo, and Kara Magsanoc-Alikpala was NVC President Millie Kilayko. The newspaper recognized her efforts as the head of a foundation that brings hope and positive change to the people we serve.
