Michelle Obama once said, “There is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish,” Undeniably, this reminder rang true and consistent as HGS dedicated March by celebrating National Women’s Month, which we capped off by honoring the women of HGS through our March huddle: EmpowHer!
Once again, our team did an amazing job as they did in our February huddle! Through creative ways in celebrating the women of our teams, the huddles were a mixture of strong connections, fun-filled games, and even an awarding of HGS’s groundbreaking women. But first, what exactly is National Women’s Month?
National Women’s Month and Embracing Equity
March 8th is regarded as International Women’s Day. The holiday is a reminder of the women’s rights movement, as well as the continued struggle with gender inequity and other gender-based forms of discrimination.
However, Proclamation No. 227 declares March as the National Women’s Month in the Philippines, and rightfully so! It’s impossible to condense the achievements and impact of women to only 24 hours. Instead, we strive for campaigns that span throughout the entire nation. This month also aims to continuously discuss and raise awareness on women empowerment and the contemporary challenges of womanhood. For 2023, the National Women’s Month calls for women empowerment and gender equity over equality. It advocates the truth that not all women are born with the same privileges and abilities. Which means that to embrace equity is to embrace inclusivity.
The history and contemporary lives of women are fraught with both difficulty and a sense of pride, so we were happy when the idea of celebrating National Women’s Month for our March huddle was brought up. What better way to celebrate the women of HGS than with a great party and a little surprise?
Huddle Games that Honor the Dames
Over at The Curve, our hosts got the crowd jumping and belting out songs from their favorite songstresses in Sing the Diva! Basically, they had to fill in missing words from songs by the women who have made their way in the music industry. The catch is: if you want to answer it, you have to sing it. And boy, did they sing!
Even our hosts wanted to grab the mic to wow the crowd. Later, we ended the game with Arya answering correctly with her rendition of You Are Beautiful by Christina Aguilera. We have to tell you, there was not a single hand in that room that was not waving to the beat of her melody!
Meanwhile, folks at the Twenty-Five Seven’s 10th floor did their best to name brands used by women; with some extra challenges. The deal was they had to write as many as they could on a balloon without popping it. Let’s just say, the tension in the air was evident and one false move was all it would take!
Of course, HGS huddles have always been a pillar of joy and entertainment to cap off a month of work. But, what got this particular March huddle near and dear to our hearts, are the people who we had the privilege of honoring.
Celebrating the Women of HGS in our March Huddle
The women of HGS are truly some of the most amazing, groundbreaking people you will ever meet. They continue to wow us, teach us, and make the office a much better place to work in. Which is why our staff planned weeks before the huddles in a well-deserved effort to showcase appreciation for the women in our teams.
Our folks at the night shift of Twenty-Four Seven adorned the pantry walls with the women of their teams. It was a beautiful mural, a collage of their teammates’ looking their absolute best.
What’s a better gift than a harana (serenade)? The teams at the Twenty-Five Seven’s 9th floor huddle had a soulful gift for their gals. HGS’s own songbird, Christopher sang gorgeous rendition of You by Basil Valdez dedicated to the women who brighten up the workplace. Let’s just say, some tears were shed. They even handed out pink roses with a cute little message!
Presenting the Woman Extraordinaire Award
To celebrate International Women’s Month, HGS honored the women of our teams through the Woman Extraordinaire Award, a staff-nominated award. Considering their impact on the office culture, we were honored to dedicate the March huddle in their honor.
It took a lot of deliberation for our panel of judges. But we ended up awarding seven women for the Woman Extraordinaire awards:
- Vanessa Ong, who reaches out to new hires and welcomes them into the workplace. She helps those in and out of her respective team, making sure that everyone’s needs are met.
- Cathelene Romina, who motivates her team to better themselves every day. She strives to uplift those that need her help.
- Jenielyn Taran, who inspires even those outside of her team. She listens to everyone’s issues with a listening ear and a kind heart.
- Mary Ann Mangilit, who is considerate, honest, and tactful. She encourages those that feel overwhelmed by grounding them to ease their nerves.
- Sarah Aquino, who treats her team like family. She communicates with everyone and encourages collaboration in brainstorming ideas and resolving problems.
- Julie Ann Villena, a leader without needing a title. She is described as a confident and compassionate leader, who brightens up her team with a good sense of humor.
- Marianne Umali, who assists others while being hands-on during events. She has a positivity that uplifts her team every day.
Congratulations to these amazing women for winning HGS’s first ever Woman Extraordinaire Award. We hope that their success and exemplary efforts paves the path for more extraordinary women. As our awardee Sarah had spoken about in her speech, “what’s special about us females is that we always have that special touch. One that is tough, but also graceful.”
The Extraordinary Women of our March Huddle
That’s a wrap for our March huddle, EmpowHer! We hope everyone had an amazing (and heartwarming) few days of games, awarding, and good food. This serves as a way to empower the women we see every day in our offices. It’s one thing to spread awareness of historical women. It’s another to celebrate the contemporary gals that strive to pave a path despite having the odds stacked against them.
But what’s up next? Well, we’ve got our next huddle to look forward to! Let’s just say that the April huddle is…one for the books. See you there!
