“The future is female.”
These are words coming from InLife Executive Chairperson Nina D. Aguas as she addressed the audience during the recently-held Women Economic Empowerment Forum hosted by Asia CEO Forum at the Manila Marriott Hotel.
Aguas said women will shape the future, a bold assertion that she said is not meant to disparage men’s role in the society. “It is a statement of certainty that women will chart their own future because in the last decade or so, women have made remarkable strides in the sciences, technology, engineering, business, politics and governance and many more. The greater the power of women, the greater a country’s economic success.”
This fueled InLife to establish its biggest women economic inclusion program called the InLife Sheroes Advocacy and Movement (InLife Sheroes) in 2019, in partnership with the International Finance Corporation of the World Bank, after the latter invited Aguas to be part of its Gender and Development Council in 2018.
To date, the InLife Sheroes has reached 7.6 million Filipinos through its four pillars of financial literacy, health and wellness, women-specific solutions and business and social networks. Aguas said that it plans to concentrate on financial inclusion and access to business networks and health protection coming from the economic dislocation most women faced because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“There will be more initiatives to support women entrepreneurs including providing possible alternative sources of income, technical support, capacity building, access to capital to women-led businesses and affordable health and insurance products.”
One of InLife Sheroes’ partners in advancing its advocacy is the Asia CEO Awards where it sponsors the InLife Young Shero of the Year Award. The Award aims to honor young Filipino women aged 40 and below who are creating waves of change and impact in their respective fields. Last year, the award was given to Maginhawa Community Pantry founder Ana Patricia Non.
The Award also honored ten Circle of Excellence women whose advocacies are helping to shape a better world for the people and the planet, and thus, have become catalysts for change and progress.
They are: Malou Perez of Pawssion Project, Maureen Ledesma of Vesl, Charlene Tan of All Vision Solar, Anya Lim of Anthill Fabric Gallery, Nina Opida of Humble Sustainability, Karen Jane Salutan of Pinoy Indie Films Roadshow, Therese Clarence Ruiz of Rags2Riches, Ray Alyannah Ysabel Lagasca of Youth for Mental Health, Jenica Dizon of Waves for Water Philippines, and Atty. Therese Guiao of Parabukas.
To know more about the InLife Young Shero of the Year Award, go to https://www.asia-ceo-awards.org/criteria/5cb440d83b95550010364f68. Interested parties may nominate by filling out the nomination form at https://www.asia-ceo-awards.org/nominations.
Nominations are open until August 15, 2022.
