In a gathering that highlighted women’s empowerment and leadership, Camille Villar was recognized as one of the country’s most influential female figures during the Women’s Assembly 2025.
The event, held at the historic YWCA – FFPI Building in Manila last Saturday, brought together leading women trailblazers from the Philippines and the ASEAN region.
Villar, 40, received recognition for her dedicated work in shaping policies and programs for the youth sector.
In her acceptance speech, Villar underlined both the triumphs and challenges experienced by women in modern society: “As a millennial and a woman, I know the challenges we face in the workplace and the need to balance our multiple roles as a wife, a mother, and a leader. I am honored to be included in this prestigious gathering of strong and influential women, and the groups that celebrate our roles as prime movers in our society.”
A committed advocate for women’s rights, Villar pledged lifelong support for the welfare of women and girls. She endorsed the 2025 Commitments and Action Plan—an initiative designed to create a society that fully embraces gender equality and freedom from discrimination. Specifically, Villar vowed to uphold fundamental rights and benefits for women and girls, eliminate unjust discrimination and violence, and guarantee access to economic and educational opportunities.
Villar’s leadership in Congress includes championing entrepreneurship and financial literacy, as well as hosting sports activities and events that foster camaraderie among the youth. Beyond these efforts, she has spearheaded projects to promote maternal and reproductive health for women and teenage mothers, broadening her scope of support within the community.
In recognition of International Women’s Day on March 8, Villar joined an esteemed group of fellow honorees, including former President and now Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Associate Justice Marian Ivy Reyes Fajardo, Cecille Guidote Alvarez, Cory Quirino, Preciosa Soliven, Dr. Amelita Dayrit-Go, Teresita Sy-Coson, and Villar’s mother, Senator Cynthia Villar. These influential figures were commended for their impactful contributions to the advancement of women in the Philippines and across ASEAN.
Villar offered her thanks to Dr. Nona Saldana-Ricafort, President of the YWCA Founders’ Federation of the Philippines and lead convenor of the event, as well as key partners from numerous women’s organizations, among them Inner Wheel National President Ditas Crisostomo, Soroptimist Int’l Philippines Governor Marivic DS Paras, Friends of the Cultural Concerns of the Philippines Norma “Baby” de Jesus, Zonta Int’l Philippines Rowena Cruz Plan, All Nation Women’s Group President Congresswoman Mila Magsaysay, and National Council of Women of the Philippines’ Cecil La Madrid Dy.
Organizers of the Women’s Assembly 2025 reported that over 20 women’s organizations convened to shape policies that promote the greater inclusion of women in national development. Insights and recommendations from the gathering will be reflected in future enhancements to the Philippine Magna Carta for Women, underlining the ongoing collaborative efforts to achieve genuine gender equality in the country.