Independent, passionate, confident, and fearless—these are just some of the attributes that come to mind when asked about Filipinas. But then, to speak candidly, I don’t think that a man, like myself, should speak in behalf of women, let alone define one. That’s why I asked five extraordinary women about their thoughts on who the “Modern Filipina” is.
Modern Filipina, for me, is a stereotype we box ourselves in, I’d like to tweak it to make it a dynamic Filipina, instead. Transcending all gender orientations, she speaks up. She is ever evolving into the person she wants to be. When it comes to certain challenges, we should accept and not just tolerate. Support and believe, that’s what communities should do and be.
—Dr. Gia Sison, breast cancer survivor, medical doctor, Philippine leader for Livestrong Foundation, and the national adviser of the Youth for Mental Health Coalition.
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Regardless of occupation, the “Modern Filipina” is an artist at heart. She is a weaver of dreams despite all adversities, empowered by an abundance of courage and resilience to help and inspire the world. With her family as the center of her own inner-strength, she reaches for great heights with her feet firmly placed on the ground. One of the challenges she faces in this era is being held back by naysayers who have yet to fully understand the beauty of individuality and self-expression. What we can do is to love and respect one another, to support each other despite certain differences in view, appearances, and backgrounds. Instead of weighing each other down, we can lift each other up. By so doing, we will create an environment of pure light and absolute heart.
—Maxine Syjuco, artist
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I think the modern Filipina is someone who is driven to go toward her goal, someone independent and someone who speaks her mind despite what others may think. She is a person who is still capable of being soft and passionate and at the same time able to show strength in times of need. She embraces her identity with poise. She won’t be intimidated by social norms.
—Annie Concepcion, tattoo artist, visual artist, and single mom
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The modern Filipina is someone who is not restricted by the constructs of society. She is someone who defines who she is and fights for the things she stands for. Lastly, I think she is not better than the traditional Filipina but she respects tradition and adapts to the challenges of the modern era. In this particular day and age, we are already open to the idea that gender roles are flexible and there is more gender equality. Though there is still a lingering culture that relies on the traditional role of women, I think we are on the way to progress as the modern Filipina is now given the same opportunities as the opposite sex. If we want to change the system, we all have to understand our parts and the role we play. It is not only the woman’s job to fight for her place, men must also understand that they have a crucial role in breaking gender stereotypes. Speaking up when we see gender discrimination at play is really important because we need to call out these kinds of behavior and correct them.”
—Bea Aquino, Thomasian youth ambassador and mental health advocate
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Many Filipinas have to take extra precautions when doing simple tasks because they fear harassment from those around them. Society has slightly progressed, of course, but there are still many steps to take if we fully want to see women thrive without adversity. Many inequalities are rooted in systemic issues. Changes in the system must be made for these struggles to be put to an end. On a smaller scale, proper education is always the best way to gain awareness and increase proactivity within communities.
—Sammi Borro, junior jock at Magic 89.9, video creator on TikTok, Spark! PH #RespetoNaman campaign ambassador, college junior at Ateneo de Manila University, and an advocate for the environment
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Having read their answers, the question sits—have we, as a nation, gone past the significant waves of discrimination and harassment? Or are we paddling, still?
When you see me passing, it ought to make you proud. I say, it’s in the click of my heels, the bend of my hair, the palm of my hand, the need for my care. ‘Cause I’m a woman. Phenomenally. Phenomenal woman, that’s me.
—Maya Angelou
According to the Philippine Commission on Women (2021), women compromise half of our population, and yet they hold about one-fifth of government elected position. The Magna Carta of Women in the Philippines (RA 9710) solidifies the participation and equitable representation of women in all spheres of society, particularly in the decision-making and policy-making processes, to fully realize their role as agents and beneficiaries of development.
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused violence, both online and offline, against girls and young women to spike. Five percent of women surveyed said cases of violence against women were observed in the home, while 17 percent witnessed cases outside their homes (Plan International Philippine Study, 2020)
Yes, we’re currently witnessing and experiencing change as compared to before, but it’s not as good as we deem it to be. On a lighter note, progress is still progress. We just have to reinforce and remind ourselves a number of things.
As a collective, we must realize that this is not a one-way road and we are not the only ones who are holding the steering wheel. We must change our mindset. We shouldn’t be creating biased and illogical social constructs just to favor one gender or another. We should wake up and be aware of the present, hold ourselves accountable for what we have done in the past, and what we are doing for the future, to be ever evolving. We must be firm and stand our ground, to speak up and not turn a blind eye when we witness any type of discrimination or harassment. Education is a necessity as it plays a serious role for us to set a bedrock for our generation and the generations yet to come, to know what to learn and unlearn, so as not to pass on the wrong things.
We must make change and all the more, be the change.
Maya Angelou once said in her poem Phenomenal Woman, “… Now you understand. Just why my head’s not bowed. I don’t shout or jump about or have to talk real loud. When you see me passing, it ought to make you proud. I say, it’s in the click of my heels, the bend of my hair, the palm of my hand, the need for my care. ‘Cause I’m a woman. Phenomenally. Phenomenal woman, that’s me.”
And, as an ally who listens and supports, I think this relates to the modern Filipina. Indeed, women are changing the world for the better and we’re all for it.