Before the celebration of 2021 National Women’s Month officially ends on Wednesday, March 31, women leaders of the Department of Education (DepEd) share the most important messages - and pieces of advice - they can give to the next generation of “Juanas” out there.
Be yourself
For Education Secretary Leonor Magtolis-Briones, the next generation of female leaders are “very, very fortunate.”
“In addition to what we, in our generations, have already been enjoying in terms of status, in terms of career and opportunities, there are even more opportunities now for women leaders to participate not only in knowledge and education but in the sciences also, in politics, and all fields of endeavor,” Briones said.
The future women leaders, Briones noted, are much more fortunate compared to the generations before them because “they have a choice of not maintaining families if they so wish, they a choice of lifestyles if they so wish.”
Asked for an advice, Briones told future women leaders to be themselves especially at a time when “more and more society allows women to be themselves.”
Be brave
DepEd Undersecretary for Finance Annalyn Sevilla told young women that in order to be future leaders, they should be brave regardless of what lies ahead.
“Always strive to be the best version of yourself. Be brave. The determination, commitment, love and passion of a woman can make the impossible, possible,” Sevilla said.
While being brave means knowing that “your voice matters,” Sevilla said that future women leaders should also know when to be responsible. “Speak your mind, but do so responsibly and with tact,” she added.
Sevilla also stressed that as people tread on to a better normal, “may it be so that the achievements of women are not an exception, but the norm.”
Be courageous
For lawyer and DepEd Undersecretary for Legal Affairs Josephine Maribojoc, being courageous is very important for the next generation of female leaders.
“As leaders, have a keen understanding of the needs of the people you serve to effectively respond to them,” Maribojoc said.
Being courageous, Maribojoc explained, would enable young women leaders “to think out of the box and blaze the trail when you lead.”
Setting clear goals with the people one works with is also very crucial according to Maribojoc. “Inspire your team to work together to reach those goals and hurdle challenges,” she added.
Regardless of the challenges they might face, Maribojoc told future women leaders to always “do your best with integrity, excellence and love, and in the end, you would have done everything you could.”
Be fearless
Drawing inspiration from renowned physicist and chemist Marie Curie, DepEd Assistant Secretary Curriculum and Instruction Alma Ruby Torio believes that young women and future leaders should have nothing to fear.
“We can never be in full control of the situations that arise in our lives, but it takes the understanding of the situations to calm our heart and fearlessly take a step forward,” Torio said.
Understanding one’s fear and conquering it, Torio said, are necessary steps to make a difference. “It is an act that makes use of the reservoir of mental grasps we have - to press on solutions,” she added.
For Torio, “young girls are great warriors” whose powers depend on their uniqueness in handling distinct circumstances. “They may fill their backpacks with too many and carry them differently but as they allow the inspiration from Curie to arrest fear then they stand simply and calmly in a corner with victory,” she said.
Be grateful
While barriers to gender equality still exist during this time, DepEd Assistant Secretary for Alternative Learning System (ALS) Program and Task Force G. H. Ambat said that young women still have many things to be grateful for.
Young women, Ambat said, are still “doubted and dismissed many times.” Other people, she added, will even doubt their ability to reach the goals they have set for themselves.
“They will doubt your claims of experiencing harassment and assault. They will dismiss your legitimate concerns and say you’re being melodramatic. They will dismiss your accomplishments and say you just got lucky,” Ambat said.
Despite this, Ambat said that there is still good news. “You can go on, learn as much as you can, work hard, reach your goals, and stand by your claim anyway,” she stressed.
All these opportunities, Ambat said, are possible because of the “many women before us who fought for the rights and opportunities that we have now.” Thus, she noted that “we owe it to the next generation of women and girls to stand up for them now so that they will no longer be doubted and dismissed in the future.”
The Philippine Commission on Women set “Juana Laban sa Pandemya: Kaya!” as this year’s theme to highlight the participation of “Juanas” in battling the coronavirus disease pandemic.