Women Redefined: The 3rd Belle de Jour Women’s Summit
If you were to put a
label to a Millennial, you will be surprised at so many labels being tagged to them.
Various studies pegged this generation as being more open-minded, more supportive to
causes, confident, self-expressive, liberal, upbeat and receptive to new ideas
and ways of living. They are a generation who
adapts quickly to a world undergoing rapid technological change. Negatively
speaking, studies also says that they are branded as young people that have
been rewarded for minimal accomplishments and have unrealistic expectations of
working life. Millennials are
"more civically and politically disengaged, more focused on materialistic
values, and less concerned about helping the larger community”.
With so many of these judgments hounding
the millennials, one need a certain standard that will equip them to face a
society and redefine them. This is what the 3rd BDJ Women’s Summit
is all about.
Nearly 500 participants gathered for
the 3rd Women’s Summit recently organized by Viviamo! Inc., the
company behind Belle De Jour (BDJ) Power Planner. With the theme “Women
Redefined”, this year’s event aimed to equip millennials with encouraging messages
from strong female role models who are redefining the society’s standards for women.
“Our society has constantly bombarded
today’s women - especially the millennials - with unrealistic standards
regarding beauty and career, making it hard for them to find themselves and
lead an authentic life. Through the Women’s Summit, Viviamo! Inc. hopes to
empower them as they pursue fulfillment while being true to their identity,”
shared BDJ founder Darlyn Ty-Nilo.
At the summit, guests were treated to
inspiring talks and fun activities at the Samsung Hall of SM Aura Premier. The
day began with a keynote speech by Ty-Nilo, who talked about the importance of claiming
one’s success.
“To own up to your success is not a
form of bragging, rather a means to realize that all the sweat and tears that
you put into your job are making a difference,” she said, adding, “Women should
learn to acknowledge their achievements so that they can inspire others to
reach for their dreams.”
Meanwhile, Rachel de Villa, co-founder
and chief technology officer of Cropital, opened the first plenary session
entitled Resilient Females, which focused on overcoming one’s circumstances and
maximizing one’s blessings. De Villa shared that she has always considered
herself a problem solver, so she developed Cropital when she found the
opportunity to help Filipino farmers access financial support. Through Cropital,
anyone can provide farmers with funds for proper equipment and training from agriculture
experts.
For her part, PinoyAkoBlog.com owner
Jover Laurio continues to publish critical articles on the country’s political
situation, despite the relentless cyberbullying and death threats. Laurio has
drawn flak for being outspoken in her fight against fake news.
At the second plenary dubbed Courageous
Females, resource speakers talked about living their authentic selves and
defying expectations regarding women’s roles in the society. Blu Pingoy, for
instance, courageously pursued her dream of becoming a pilot, a job usually
taken on by males. With her persistence, Pingoy became one of the first few
female commercial pilots in the country.
Meanwhile, singer-songwriter and alopecia
areata awareness advocate Abby Asistio did not allow the society’s standards to
define her. As someone who suffered from alopecia or hair loss at an early age,
she encouraged women to embrace their uniqueness and get over their
insecurities. “Even if society says kailangan long hair para maging girly ka,
eh hindi ako long-haired eh. Dapat manggaling sa sarili ko na, okay lang kahit
hindi long hair, maganda pa ako with short hair. Just be open to embracing your
own uniqueness.”
Aside from promoting resilience and courage,
the summit also stressed the value of paving one’s path and sustaining success
in the third plenary session called Resourceful Females, featuring
businesswomen Audrey Tangonan and Kathleen Yu.
Starting a business is risky, but Sinaya Cup
founder Audrey Tangonan persevered because she believed that her idea can
genuinely improve people’s lives. Now, her menstrual cup business has attained
massive success locally and internationally.
Kathleen Yu,
owner of Manila-based tech start-up Rumarocket Inc., also shared the moving
story of her business. From the initial failures, Kathleen resolved to learn
from mistakes and bounce back. “As long as I was alive, I could always change
and grow and learn and become different,” she said.
These speakers’
thoughts echo the women’s advocacy of Belle De Jour, which has always aimed to
empower modern Filipina women by equipping them with knowledge, confidence, and
self-appreciation. As Ty-Nilo explains, “We hope to help build a world where
women are bound not by societal expectations, but by their vision of who they
really want to be.”
The 3rd
BDJ Women’s Summit was co-presented by Chinoy TV, Lipault and Sun Life
Financial. Major sponsors include Food Panda, Modess, Wacoal, GCash, Style
Genie, Biore, Caronia, Celeteque, Cinnabon, Fitness Gourmet, Jergens, Jollibee,
Kipling, Liese, MegRhythm, Parisian Shoes and Bags, Serenitea, Zenutrients,
Features and Shades, and Award Extremes Inc.
Ace Water Spa,
Chef Tony, Frankie’s, Goldilocks, and McDonald’s provided loot bags and raffle
prizes, while Adobo Magazine, Rappler, and When in Manila served as media
partners.
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