Let’s get the definition straight: Care work is care giving and domestic work—cleaning, cooking, as well as caring for children, the elderly, family members, people with disabilities, and even pets—that’s largely unpaid. And Filipino women have been getting short shrift for the longest time when it comes to care work. Dr. Macario Jusayan, the chief...
Category: Diversity
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For the Philippines’ Alexie Brooks, Miss Eco International 2025, victory is ‘from the heart’
Alexie Brooks’ victory in the Miss Eco International 2025 pageant was nothing short of groundbreaking. Not only was she the first black woman to represent the Philippines in the global tilt, she was also the first black winner in the contest’s 10-year run. The Ilonggo national athlete has championed authenticity in an industry that many...
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Women politicians claim their space in male-dominated public governance
Councilor Joanne Valdez of Candon City, Ilocos Sur, is not spared the challenges that beset many female officials in local government units in the Philippines, where politics is strongly marked by machismo. “During my first term, I was subjected to catcalling during a photoshoot, and I heard my male colleagues placing bets on me. I...
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There’s a treasure trove where indigenous music, culture and history meet
James Dan Gazmin looks back at the days when he and his two friends formed a chapter of Paggawisan Tako Am-in at the University of the Philippines Diliman (Pagta-UPD) in October 2024. They passionately wanted to present the beauty and history of Cordilleran culture and traditions through music shows in the urban centers but they...
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Stories of Filipino heroines now have a home in Tandang Sora Women’s Museum
The Women’s Month of March is made more significant by the Tandang Sora Women’s Museum in Quezon City. Now formally open to the public, the museum lies on the avenue named after “the mother of the Philippine Revolution”—a means to uphold the value of women and to perpetuate a culture where women hold significant roles...
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Vietnam is making waves in global pageantry
The last quarter of the year is proving to be a significant one for Vietnam in terms of international pageantry, with two global competitions in that country and an international crown for a resident of the capital Ho Chi Minh (or Saigon). It may appear unlikely for a communist country to take part in the...
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‘Miss Universe Asia’ is the Philippines’ latest beauty title
The Philippines may not have clinched the Miss Universe title at the recently concluded competition held in Mexico, but the country’s delegate Chelsea Manalo still made history as the first recipient of the “Miss Universe Asia” title. Manalo, also the first black woman to represent the Philippines in the most important international beauty pageant for...
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Pia Wurtzbach urges ‘allies’ to help fight for LGBTQIA+ rights
Pia Wurtzbach has been a staunch ally of the LGBTQIA+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, and others) community since her much-celebrated journey into pageantry. And nine years after she was crowned Miss Universe in 2015, the actress and global influencer is still advocating its cause. In welcoming Pride Month this June, Wurtzbach gallantly...
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First Filipino of African American descent takes 2024 Miss Universe Philippines title
The prevailing beauty standards in the country were challenged and ultimately shattered at the 2024 Miss Universe Philippines pageant, which took all of five hours at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City and ended early morning of May 23. Chelsea Manalo, a 24-year-old model from Bulacan, bested 52 other aspirants to inherit the...
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In Maguindanao, internally displaced women are empowered through agri-entrepreneurship
“I remember during Ramadan last year, at iftar—just as we were about to break our fast—suddenly we heard an explosion. We dropped and ran, carrying our food with us,” Salha Salik, who now lives in Shariff Saydona Mustapha, recalled in Tagalog during a phone interview. “It’s unpredictable here,” said Salik, 35. “Ever since I was...