March is Women’s Month in many communities around the world, starting out as a celebration of women in the workforce. It has expanded over the years to include both women working in and outside of the home, as well as all aspects of women’s lives encompassing social, economic and political concerns.
What better time to tie a commemorative ribbon around your monthly editorial calendar than during Women’s Month? In the Philippines, it started in 1987 just before the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage in America. Thousands of Filipinas held rallies and seminars, marched on the streets, and held workshops for issues like health care, violence against women, positions of leadership and more. The result was some very dedicated women who fought for gender equality in the workplace and beyond.
Let’s take our time and walk through some of the notable women in the Philippines’ real estate industry especially in the leading Villar Group for Women’s Month of 2023.
The Villar Group
The Philippines’ richest man, Manny B. Villar, is the founder and chairman of real estate company Vista Land and Lifescapes. He has been a prominent figure in Philippine politics for more than two decades, serving as a senator from 2004 to 2013, where he was known for his progressive reformist policies.
After leaving politics in 2013, Villar focused on building up his business empire, which includes investments in real estate development, banking and retail. His company currently holds more than 15 million square meters of land across the country.
Villar is also a philanthropist who has donated millions to various social causes.
Behind every successful man is a powerful woman
Cynthia Villar is a Filipino politician, businesswoman, and philanthropist. She is married to Manny Villar, who was previously the Secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government from 2004 to 2005 and Senator from 2007 to 2016.
In 2023, she is one of the country’s notable senators due to her contributions on hearings about agricultural lands voicing her opinions about having the business mindset and importance of research.
Cynthia Villar, the Philippines’ public servant, also has great contributions to her family’s business. As a member of the Villar group, she established and managed their non-governmental organization called Villar SIPAG that works to provide affordable housing and other services to individuals in need.
This non-governmental organization aims to aid the poor through education and financial aid to Filipino families and even overseas Filipino workers.
Read Also: Villar SIPAG Prepares for the 11th OFW and Family Summit
Camille Villar
Camille Villar is the congresswoman representing Las Pinas. She is also the daughter of Manuel Villar, Jr., who is a member of the richest family in the Philippines.
She was also known to lead Villar group’s retail segment that has grocery stores and convenience stores.
Some of Camille Villar’s notable projects in 2022 was the awarding of a Bria House and Lot to a vaccinated citizen of Las Pinas. This is part of her campaign “May bahay sa bakuna”. The program was launched to support and strengthen the numbers of vaccinated Filipinos especially in her region. Each vaccinated Las Pinas citizen got an entry to win the House and Lot from Bria that is also Villar-owned.
Residents of the city were very grateful to receive such opportunity just for being vaccinated and immunized against covid. Many other people were granted prizes on the day the raffle was held. Part of their prizes were motorcycles and pangkabuhayan packages.
In the Philippines, Women’s Month is celebrated on March 8th, which is International Women’s Day. During this time, we’re reminded of the importance of women in our society. In fact, there are several things we can do to celebrate women and make sure that they know how much we appreciate them!
We’ve come a long way from the days when women were not allowed to vote; we have seen several presidents and many other politicians elected who are women. We have seen many women in positions of power over the years as well, including Supreme Court justices, senators and congresswomen, cabinet secretaries, military generals and admirals, and even judges in the lower courts.
But despite all these advances, there is still much work to be done before we can truly say that women are equal with men in all aspects of society. We must ensure that women do not suffer discrimination or harassment based on their gender identity or sexual orientation; that they have equal access to education and training opportunities; that they are paid equally for similar work; and that they have access to quality healthcare services without paying more than men do for identical health care needs or procedures.
How to celebrate Women’s month?
We can look at strong women in our lives (parents/grandparents/aunts/uncles) and thank them for their contributions to our lives. We can also look at the strong women around us now (friends, colleagues) and thank them for all that they do for us every day. And finally, we can take some time to study up on famous Filipino women who have made an impact on their communities—you might be surprised what you learn!
Women’s month is a time to celebrate the achievements of women and those who support them. Here are some ways to make this holiday special for your loved ones:
- Give them a gift card for their favorite beauty products or accessories.
- Share your favorite stories about female role models and mentors with them over lunch or coffee.
- Ask them what they want to do this month, then plan an activity that will give them some time to themselves and help them relax!
Other ways to celebrate women’s month
This is a great time to reflect on the achievements of women and the progress we’ve made as a society.
To celebrate this month, try some of these ideas:
1. Read books by or about women you admire
2. Learn about how women were treated in the past, and how their situation has improved
3. Learn about your local community’s efforts to help women succeed
4. Volunteer at an organization that helps women succeed
