Women with power are a force to be reckoned with. Throughout history, women have fought for equal rights, and in recent years, more and more women have risen to positions of power. These women proved us that women can also have a power and they proved to us that women can also have power and that they are more than capable of leading, creating and innovating. Here are some of those courageous women who has risen with what they have, something that we should be proud of... Gabriella Silang, Melchora Aquino, Gina Lopez, Leni Robredo, Hidilyn Diaz, and Catriona Gray. May we continue what these women has proven us. Be empowered. Be brave. Be what you wanted to be. Be an empowered woman!
1. Gabriela Silang: "Joan of Arc of Ilocandia"
Josefa Gabriela Silang was born in Santa, Ilocos Sur, on March 19, 1723. She was the first Filipino woman to organize a revolution during the Spanish colonization of the Philippines.
Diego Silang, an Ilocano guerrilla who worked with the British to briefly drive out the Spanish officials from Vigan, Ilocos Sur, during the British occupation, considered Gabriela to be his closest advisor.
After her husband was murdered on May 28, 1763, at the hands of the Spanish government. Gabriella continued the uprising and commanded her husband's supporters in many successful clashes in Santa and Vigan with the Spanish.
She started guerrilla warfare against the Spanish garrisons stationed in the coastal towns. The nickname "Generala," which was given to her by the populace, terrified the Spanish troops and the Ilocanos who cooperated with Spain due to the success of her singular harassing strategy.
On September 29, 1763, she and her warriors were taken prisoner in Abra and later hanged there, Gabriela being the last to perish.
Ilocos Sur's provincial hospital is known as Gabriela Silang General Hospital in her honor as a heroine. In April 1984, GABRIELA, or the General Assembly Binding Women for Reforms, Integrity, Equality, Leadership, and Action, a Filipino group that promoted women's problems and was inspired by her bravery, was established.
Source: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://kahimyang.com/kauswagan/articles/1023/t
2. Melchora Aquino: "Tandang Sora"
Melchora Aquino was a Philippine heroine and political activist who was born in 1812. She worked as a medicine woman before joining the Katipunan movement, a secret revolutionary society formed by Andres Bonifacio. Katipunan, which Aquino supported, attempted to unite Filipinos and advocate for revolution. When she joined, the club had about 100,000 members. In 1896, Melchora Aquino, also known as Tandang Sora, supported the Philippine Revolutionaries.
She was apprehended and imprisoned in Manila after initially going undiscovered. She was charged with sedition and insurrection, along with 171 other Filipinos. Aquino was deported to Guam, where she was commended for her bravery and resistance during interrogation.
Source: https://www.encyclopedia.com/women/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/aquino-melchora-1812-
3. Gina Lopez: "Earth Warrior"
Gina Lopez was born on December 27, 1953, as the second of seven children to Eugenio "Geny" Lopez, Jr. and Conchita La'O.
She describes her youth in an essay for Rogue magazine as "warm, full of love, and a lot of fun." She still yearned for something else.
Lopez left her privileged life at the age of 18 to become an Ananda Marga yoga missionary. She spent 11 years in Africa after serving in Portugal and India.
"I was constantly looking for money to survive and take care of the children I was responsible for," she wrote for Rogue, recalling her time as a teacher in "yoga-run, pre-primary schools."
Lopez "lived as the poor lived" in India, learning "how not to be wasteful" because she could only collect one pail of water per day in the slum region she lived in. Lopez became head of the ABS-CBN Foundation in 1994, again back in the arms of her family and its flagship enterprise.
Bantay Bata 163, which saves children who are victims of domestic violence, was one of her many pioneering projects and organizations. She referred to it as a "gift of love to Filipino children."
Lopez also created instructional television shows, raised funds for micro-entrepreneurs, and used the bayanihan, or volunteer spirit, of Filipinos to assist medical missions, feeding programs, and other outreach projects for the less fortunate.
Lopez founded I LOVE (Investments in Loving Organizations for Village Economies) after leaving government, with the intention of facilitating "green models" throughout the country.
Lopez was involved in supporting sustainable development and lifestyles until her death. She presented the ABS-CBN environmental television show "G Diaries" and owned a social entrepreneurship company called G Stuff that sold organic products.
4. Leni Robredo: "The 14th Vice President of the Philippines"
The Philippines' 14th vice president was Maria Leonor "Leni" Robredo. She began serving the public in 2016 and left in 2022 after six years of outstanding leadership. For three years running (2018–2020), she obtained the highest audit grade from the Commission on Audit, and she was praised for her quick and skillful pandemic reaction.
Leni was also the driving force behind programs like Angat Buhay, a national anti-poverty program that benefited almost 622,000 families in 223 cities and municipalities. Angat Buhay concentrated on six main areas of advocacy, one of which was women's empowerment.
Leni has always fought for women's equality and Filipina empowerment. She received the Tanglaw Award from the Outstanding Women in the Nation's Service (TOWNS) Foundation for her advocacy work, as well as the Thai government's "Honorary Outstanding Woman Award of the Year 2016".
Leni came very close to becoming the most powerful woman in the Philippines when she campaigned for president in 2022 and placed second in the elections. Even so, she persisted in carrying on her heritage. She transformed Angat Buhay into an official non-governmental organization (NGO) following her term as vice president, with the goal of easing the hardships of the underprivileged by promoting excellent health, education, food security, and disaster risk reduction.
Leni, who is now a private person, has been invited to join the Harvard Kennedy School as a Hauser Leader in the fall of 2022. She is still the chairman of Angat Pinas, Inc. today, proving via her actions that women leaders can have an impact whether or not they hold positions of authority.
5. Hidilyn Diaz: "First Filipino Olympic Gold Medalist"
Hidilyn Francisco Diaz, February 20 1991 a 32 years old women born in Zamboanga City she is a Filipino world and Olympic champion and weightlifter and air women the first Filipino to ever win an Olympic gold medal for the Philippines
Showcasing the resilience of women. Empowerment is demonstrated by your capacity to show off your potential. It didn't restrict her potential; in fact, despite being a woman, she felt empowered in ways like having a voice, being taken seriously, and being allowed to pursue her dreams.
Unquestionably, Hidilyn has earned her well-deserved reputation as one of the Philippines' most powerful women. Women of all ages find inspiration in this woman, who overcame many obstacles to become the best in her area.
Outside powerlifting, Hidilyn is also a Philippine Air Force member. Soon after her Olympic victory, she was promoted to the rank of staff sergeant. There seems to be no border that this woman can’t cross
6. Catriona Gray : "My strength is that I'm an empath"
Catriona Elisa Magnayon Gray (born January 6, 1994 is a Filipina model, singer, beauty queen, television personality, youth advocate, and arts ambassador best known for becoming Miss Universe 2018. She is the fourth Filipina to be crowned Miss Universe, Gray previously held the titles of Miss Universe Philippines 2018 and Miss World Philippines 2016.
She was already an inspiration to many people in her country long before she was named queen, thanks to her work with numerous philanthropic organizations. Entering the Miss Universe pageant was only an extension of her efforts, and it ended up garnering her the title of Queen of the World. While she was never a classic beauty queen, she has always lived her life with purpose and continues to do so. From growing up in an immigrant family to breaking ideas about 'beauty' in the pageant world, Catriona Gray's story clearly highlights the significance of being true to oneself and how it can help anyone take over the world.
Catriona Grey is a fascinating woman. Being able to highlight local talent and fashion wherever she goes and in whatever she does speaks of a life's love, not just an advocacy. Outside of fashion, she represents a woman who is capable of so much more: empowering communities, people, and nations. It may appear so simple to put on a new fashion designer's clothing, but consider this: that's how she started as a model a year ago, and look where she is now: still putting on these garments and now changing the tides.
https://www.femalenetwork.com/lifestyle/features/catriona-gray-on-inspirational-women-a00189-2021031
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