J. Walter Thompson Manila launches women’s insight report “Filipina Next” and “Babaelang” mentoring program for college women

J. Walter Thompson’s proprietary Female Tribes research on women around the world examines women’s attitudes to everything from career, ambition, religion and finance to sexuality, looks, attractiveness, parenting and health.

As part of that project, and on International Women’s Day, J. Walter Thompson’s Manila office launched “Filipina Next,” a study on the modern Filipina, where she’s headed and how to get her there.

As the study shows, the Filipina today moves at pace with the modern world yet in her heart, she stays true to her traditional roots. She’s no longer Maria Clara, the stereotype of submissiveness and passivity. The Filipina today has evolved with the world and continues to create and explore new paths for Filipina women each day.

As part of the launch, a high-powered forum of women leaders enriched the statistics with their personal stories as leaders in their respective fields.

Participants included Issa Cabreira, Senior Vice President and Head of Consumer Mobile Marketing at Globe Telecom; Melissa Henson, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of Manulife Philippines; Tina Sabarre, Country Director, Retail, Johnson and Johnson Philippines; Hidilyn Diaz, Silver medalist in weightlifting who ended the 20-year Olympic medal drought; Armie Jarin-Bennett, President of CNN Philippines; and others.

J. Walter Thompson Philippines also launched its pioneering women’s mentorship program, Babaelang, following the Helen Lansdowne Resor (HLR) Scholarship global program launched by J. Walter Thompson Worldwide in 2014. This scholarship will be awarded to female college students who will be given the opportunity to work in JWT Philippines.

Golda Roldan, Managing Director at J. Walter Thompson Philippines, said: “By creating this proprietary research and sharing it in this forum of eminent women leaders and achievers, we hope to continuously deliver true insight into the progress of Filipina women and how Filipinas move ahead with the rest of the women in the world. We believe these are valuable findings that help us develop better creative ideas and pioneering services to our clients, helping their businesses better serve this audience.”

Key statistics from the JWT Philippines Filipina Next study:

•       85% of Filipinas believe that there has never been a better time to be a woman.

•       85% of Filipinas believe technology empowers them

•       94% of Filipinas agree that it is important for women to step up as mentors for young women

•       47% of Filipinas see success as achieving a higher level of religious or spiritual awareness

•       Only 27% of Filipinas experience sexism at work on a regular basis, the lowest rating in the APAC region (APAC average: 42%)

By delivering a deeper understanding of today’s women’s wants, needs, desires and attitudes, J. Walter Thompson Company wants to drive the message of Female Capital, the worth women bring to the world as women by celebrating their aspirations and achievements. By helping brands and business unlock the true economic value of women as consumers, leaders, inventors, and wealth creators, J. Walter Thompson can create better products and services that truly reflect women’s needs while changing the cultural conversation.