Every year, as March 8 comes around, the world celebrates women with International Women’s Day. This celebration spans the entire month of March annually to commemorate the cultural, political, and socioeconomic achievements of women. Indeed, the 21st century has seen great strides in the right direction for women empowerment and gender equality. Although the fabled glass ceiling is still yet to be broken, countless women today have steadily chipped away at it. 

 

In just the past year, women leaders of the world shined in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, most notable of them is New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. The past year also saw the first woman vice president to be elected in the United States, VP Kamala Harris. Even the world’s young women are leading in their fields as TIME magazine selected fifteen-year-old scientist and inventor Gitanjali Rao, the first-ever Kid of the Year.

 

Resorts World Manila (RWM) has a penchant for celebrating life’s greatest joys and achievements, as the company fully embraces its credo of making the most out of life. In celebration of Women’s Month, RWM shines the spotlight on the women who stand as pillars of the company’s commitment to thrill the world every chance they get.

 

Ma. Theresa “Terri” Llamas holds the highest Human Resources (HR) position in the company. As Chief HR Officer, she is responsible for over 6,000 employees. Although a newcomer to RWM’s leadership team, Llamas has made key developments in RWM’s employee engagement programs. She spearheaded the establishment of RWM’s Organizational Development department that focuses on employee engagement. Numerous award-winning employee engagement programs kept employees in the loop during the government-imposed lockdown in 2020 with regular updates and activities to keep spirits high throughout the pandemic. Regarding her role as a top executive, Llamas notes her "being a woman is an advantage in handling HR work because as the HR Top Leader of Resorts World Manila, I am expected and looked at as the "Mother of Thrillmakers."  I believe that a woman has more empathy and has maternal instinct by nature in dealing with employees' welfare of any company."

 

Anna Liza Vergara is the first Filipina to be appointed General Manager of a global five-star hotel brand. A classic example of a modern woman that has broken through the glass ceiling, Vergara joined Marriott International over 25 years ago, and rose through the ranks eventually becoming Marriott Hotel Manila’s Resident Manager before her appointment as Sheraton Manila Hotel’s General Manager. Vergara recognizes the impact of her position as the first Filipina GM of an international hotel chain, yet she highlights hardwork and the dream to inspire others were her main driving force, “My motivation was from believing that we can be who we want to be for as long as we put our heart and soul into everything that we do. It was never because it was a position that is normally held by foreign men. My real motivation was knowing that as I pursued my dreams, I was given the power to help, to inspire and to make the people around me believe that there should be no glass ceiling to people who truly give it their best.”

 

Regarded as the First Lady of Philippine Musicals, Yulo is a stalwart in the performing arts industry with over 40 years work in front and at the back of the stage. Speaking about her latest project with RWM and Full House Theater Company (FHTC), “This next project excites me as it is spearheaded by women. It’s a narrative about empowerment. Women give a flavour to material that is unique, personal and highly relatable”. Presently a Co-artistic director of FHTC, Yulo is dedicated to telling truly Filipino stories, with an all-Filipino project in the works led by equally accomplished women in their respective fields.

 

KZ Tandingan is a powerhouse in the local entertainment scene. Hailed as Asia’s Soul Supreme, Tandingan started her mainstream career when she won the first season of X Factor Philippines in 2012. Now, less than a decade later, she is making waves in the international scene as being handpicked by multi-media giant Disney to sing its first multi-language song for the motion picture Raya and the Last Dragon. Tandingan shares her gratitude, in an interview she mentions how proud she is to be a part of history by singing the first Filipino song for a South-east Asian inspired Disney Princess. This is only the latest feather added to Tandingan’s cap of accolades that also include RWM’s Lucky Persons of the Year in 2019, alongside Maestro Ryan Cayabyab.