Empowered Ladies: 5 Prominent Cebuanas to Know this Women’s Month!

Every March, we unite to celebrate the stalwart force that makes the world go round: women. In the major roles they play, one can argue that the fate of the world is determined by a higher power, but it is also true that it’s also by how women shape and influence those around them.

Feminism in the Philippines

Frequently in the Philippines, feminist ideology is portrayed as imported ideas from the West. However throughout history, this is not the only case. It is known that our ancestors lived in a matriarchal society before colonization wherein women were delegated the task to lead their respective tribes and families. This is evidenced by the pre-colonial documents that revealed a relative absence of a strict division of labor, suggesting an equal parity between partners.

The power of women in these societies was even noted by most Chinese and Spanish explorers. An example of which is the Babaylan, a well-known Filipino historical figure, who occupied a special place in society. The Babaylan provided not only a form of healthcare through extensive knowledge of medicinal herbs and ancient practices but also symbols of spiritual authority within their tribe. Thus, becoming the bridge between humanity and divinity.

Filipinas and their status have had their own share of obstacles throughout history: from a loss of liberty during the Spaniard regime to gaining back their liberty. Today, they face a whole different set of hurdles - the fight for their reproductive health issues, forced child marriages, and honor killings with certain tribes. Despite those myriad of issues, the Philippines still rank consistently higher than other countries when it comes to women’s rights. To celebrate this significant notability, here are our five picks among excellent women who deserve to be called the most prominent Cebuanas today.

1. Agnes Magpale

Arguably one of the well-known political local figures, Mrs. Agnes Almendras Magpale was the Vice Governor of Cebu from May 10, 2011 to June 30, 2019. She was from the northern city of Danao but started her education at Saint Theresa College in Cebu City. Henceforth, she graduated from the University of Santo Tomas in Manila with Associated Arts in 1959, obtained her college degree in Nutrition in 1963 at the University of the Philippines Diliman, and achieved her master’s degree in 1965 at Drexel University. At the age of 27, she started her political career as a Vice Mayor of Danao. Then, in 2010, she ran for the provincial board membership and achieved the position as the acting Vice Governor and the acting Governor thereafter when the previous Governor was suspended in 2012. Throughout the years, she has won numerous awards, showcasing her talents in leadership. Two of which are the Leadership & Heritage Award, and the Outstanding UC Alumni Award.

2. Marissa Fernan

A well-known business figure in the Visayas region, Marissa Fernan, developed her talents through years of studying and on-site experiences. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Business Management at the University of San Francisco School of Management. Upon graduating, she returned to Cebu to work in SM City Cebu; flaunting her marketing talents which was seen and appreciated through her grit and determination. She climbed the corporate ladder and was eventually promoted to Vice President for Operations in the Villas and Menina region. While in the position, she formulated successfully a business strategy for the company in the Visayas and Mindanao region. Moreover, she rests by spending her time enjoying performing arts, listening to classical music, reading books, and traveling.

3. Nelia G. Neri

Nelia Garcia Neri is a well-known editorial consultant and writer for the Cebuano staple SunStar Philippines where she writes an irregular column that covers a wide range of topics such as the latest trends in global fashion, updates regarding celebrities, beauty and culture, and contemporary Filipino high society stories. She studied Liberal Arts majoring in English at St. Theresa’s College in Cebu City. She started her journalism journey when she was tasked to write a paper. During this time, she met her husband, Julius Neri. Together, they individually reached their goals and earned their success.

4. Sisi Rondina

Undenyingly, Cherry Ann Rondina, also known as Sisi Rondina, is one of the most famous volleyball and track & field players in the country. She was born to a modest family in Compostela Cebu, along with three other sisters. She was the former Captain of the University of Santo Tomas Golden Tigresses volleyball team. During her time, she was able to catch the crowd’s attention by being the 4-time UAAP Beach Volleyball MVP, UAAP Season 81 Women’s Volleyball MVP, and Athlete of the Year.

She was a member of the Philippines women’s beach volleyball team where she was selected to represent the Philippines during the 2019 Southeast Asian Tournament that was held in Vietnam. She is currently playing for the Choco Mucho Flying Titans in the premier volleyball league. She achieved her latest victory in track & field at the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour in 2022 Subic Bay Future.

5. Bellevic Tropezado

Mrs. Bellevic Tropezado is the current Director of the Office of Student Services and Affairs (OSSA) and the Coordinator of the Velez College Alumni Association at Velez College. Prior to achieving that position, Mrs. Tropezado started to pave her way by working as a nurse for 7 years and entered entrepreneurship in a marketing company for a short while. It was there she learned how to be more organized and developed interpersonal relationships with people; developing humility. She began to venture her way into academia when she joined Velez College Alumni Association, became their president from 2015 to 2017, and optimally embellished into one of the Clinical Instructors in the College of Nursing at Velez College—handling Head Nursing, Bioethics, and Fundamentals of Nursing. She also devoted her time to achieving a master’s degree in Nursing Administration. Since then, her career in academia skyrocketed to its peak, flying through the ranks and becoming one of the most beloved people of Velez College.

During a one-on-one interview with Mrs. Tropezado, she shared how she handles and organizes tasks with a team. Firstly, she writes her tasks in her notebook, attaching a bookmark sticker on its edge to rank them down. She exclaimed, “I always write down the things to do daily and set priorities. I work on a very first priority . . . I work with a pen and paper so I can organize effectively.” Secondly, she set meetings with the team. She shared, “To put order and everything that we needed to do.” Thirdly, working in synergy with the team. She expressed, “I always like the thought of working in synergy, there has always to be a team to work even in a small task. [With this], you can always look forward to a good result of your planned activity.” Lastly, she delegates tasks equally to train students in taking responsibility for their respective roles.

Amazingly, she accomplished all of her achievements while being a mother to her children and a wife to her husband. In the interview, she revealed the secret of her success. She uttered, “What made me successful is the husband that I have because he is so supportive of anything that I would do.” This perfectly signifies the wondrousness of a feministic world—not holding each other back to blossom into the person they wanted to be. When asked to provide advice to people who are experiencing multiple obstacles while reaching their dreams, she shared: “Be humble, focus on your dream, and keep chasing your dream . . . Think that the challenges in front of you can always [become] an inspiration.”

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To conclude, there are a lot of prominent Cebuanas who have shown their great potential and unique talents through the years. So, as we dive further into Women’s Month, let’s not forget the sacrifices of each woman in our lives, especially our mothers who carried us for 9 months, fed us, and unconditionally loved and cared for us. Let’s also not forget about the men who supported their wives and mothers throughout their journey in flying towards their dreams. In this Women’s Month, let’s not forget to appreciate one another.

Happy Women’s Month!

Photos from:

Magpale: Filipino Genealogy Project

Fernan: CDN Digital

Neri: Sunstar

Sisi: PVL

Tropezado: Velez Nurses