AmCham Philippines | March 2021 1 COVER 2 | Header Compan International School Manila AmCham Philippines | March 2021 3 International School Manila InternationalIS Manila is SchoolINSPIRING Manila ISM offers a comprehensive curriculum based on world-wide research and educational best practices to students ages three to nineteen. World-class sports and performing arts facilities support our extensive co-curricular program and service learning is integrated in every aspect of campus life. www.ismanila.org (632) 8840.8400 University Parkway, Fort Bonifacio Global City, Taguig 1634, Philippines PB March 2021 | Vol 96 | No 03 Contents Business of Business Editorial 34 Cultural Transformation or 06 All Things Equal Bust? Feature Cover Story 21 The Message of Vice 18 Gender Equality: Fact or President Leni Robredo Myth? at AmCham's Women's Month Celebration Company News 22 The COVID-19 38 Eastern Pandemic Through Her Communications' 2021 Lense P2.8 billion expansion 25 Equality, Education, 40 P&G’s Share The Care Empowerment! - a new standard in the The Role of Soroptimists workplace International 28 International Women in Organizational Sections Mining 08 AmCham Officers & 30 Discovering the World's 21 Longest Caldera Directors Image Source: Freepik.com 08 AmCham Mission An Interview with Statement Filipino Marine Geophysicist Jenny 10 AmCham Corporate & Anne Barretto THIS MONTH'S ISSUE Associate Partners 11 How to be an AmCham 37 10 Tips to Free Yourself from Technology TO BE UPDATED The Fearless Girl embodies the Member Partner spirit of female empowerment 12 AmCham Chapters & underlying the stories and Advocacies messages in this issue celebrating Women’s Month. Gain 14 AmCham Committees insights from the Philippines’ - Your MAIN Partner in Vice President Leonor Robredo’s Business pivotal pandemic response, the Global Women in Mining Summit 15 AmCham Committees initiative, and Jenny Barretto’s 16 Members' Birthdays: discovery of the Apolaki caldera, February - April the world’s largest, in Benham Image Source: Unsplash.com Rise. Read on and be inspired by 44 AmCham Staff our female trailblazers. 44 Connect with AmCham AmCham Philippines | March 2021 5 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Ebb Hinchliffe MEMBER: Publisher Association of the Philippines, Inc. PUBLICATIONS CONSULTANT/EDITOR: Leslie Ann Murray All rights reserved. AmCham Business Journal is a general COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING MANAGER: Chi Pena business magazine published monthly by The American Chamber ADVERTISING AND PROMOTIONS HEAD: Chet Guevara of Commerce of the Philippines, Inc., with offices at 2nd Floor, CREATIVE ARTIST: Eya Martinez Corinthian Plaza, 121 Paseo De Roxas corner Gamboa Street, PUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN: Ernie Cecilia Legazpi Village, Makati City 1229 (C.P.O. Box 2562, Makati City PUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE MEMBERS: Manuel Guillermo and 1265), Philippines; telephones: (632) 8818-7911 to 13; J. Albert Gamboa email: [email protected]; PUBLISHED BY: The American Chamber of Commerce of the website: www.amchamphilippines.com. Philippines, Inc. Publication Registration No.: ISSN-0116-452X All views expressed in all articles are those of the authors and not of The American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Inc. 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One Sunday during a visit, my sister-in-law from Austin observed that the newspaper had divided the job Why should a woman stay home any openings into two classifications: jobs for men, and jobs more than a man should stay home? for women. I had been reading those ads for years and it never dawned on me that it was wrong. As Editor in Chief, I usually avoid using the first person She asked me, “Why male and female categories?” I re- in my writing but for this month, I am sharing my own, plied with what seemed an obvious answer; because men first-hand experience on gender equality. Hopefully, many were better at some jobs and females better at others. of you can reflect on how your views may have changed, She then asked me to give her some examples of jobs particularly on the lessons learned over the years. women couldn’t do. And, hard as I tried, I couldn’t come up with many. As I looked at the job descriptions, I had I am fortunate to be a Baby Boomer. It has allowed me to change my position and align with her. It was a game- to see changes in society for over six decades, from the changer for me on my attitude towards the gender gap in 1950s to the 2020s. Some may wish for the good ole the workforce. I then committed myself to be more open days, or complain that change in my views on gender equality. is too slow. Certainly, for gender equality in the United States - as As I write this editorial in March well as the world- has truly been 2021, I truly believe we are living slow, but I have to admit in many in a better world than those times ways though slow, it has been mentioned above, but I also realize positive. we have quite a way to go. My first example came from my In 2019, I was honored to be invit- parents. They seldom had argu- ed to speak at a local Rotary meet- ments in front of the children, but ing. I was made to feel like a VIP I remember in the late ’50s, my from the time I entered the room. mother brought up the subject of As I stood at the podium, delivering her going to work during an even- my remarks, I noticed something ing meal. The reaction of my father odd. The only females in the room was unforgettable to a young im- were the restaurant staff. pressionable mind. His basic mes- sage was “...over my dead body. A When I finished my speech and woman’s place is in the home.” went back to the head table, I inquired about the lack of females present. Imagine my This statement made an impression on me because, until shock and disbelief when the leader of the Club informed that time, I thought my father could do no wrong and was me that this particular Rotary club was male-only! I chuck- one of the smartest people on the planet. I was truly sur- led and thought he was joking (after all, this was 2019, not prised. For the life of me, I couldn’t understand his logic. 1919). Unfortunately, it was no joke. Hindsight is always Why should a woman stay home any more than a man good; I would never have accepted had I known of this should stay home? club’s male-only membership rule. I continue to question the members of that Rotary as to their rationale. Over the following weeks, my mother stood her ground. She eventually found part-time work outside the home, There are excellent articles by Ernie Cecilia and Vice under the condition that she should never make more President Leni Robredo in this edition. Their words are salary than my father. That also was something I couldn’t perhaps more evocative than mine, but I do feel better by understand because I was wearing hand-me-down jeans sharing a bit of my transformation from a “redneck” Texan from my older brother with patches ironed on the knees to to one that has little patience for discrimination whether it make them “wearable”.