Filipinos have embraced all things of the Hallyu wave. Kdrama, KPop, food, and fashion—what’s not to love about South Korea? Whether you’re heading to go on a pilgrimage to your favorite idol group, or just can’t wait to immerse yourself in their culture, it can’t be denied Filipinos have put the country high on top of their travel bucket list. 

Leading mobile wallet GCash strengthens its efforts to promote women empowerment and inclusion during Women’s Month with a fireside chat to build women leaders of the GNation and create a space for learning from different experiences and expertise.

The workshop was held in collaboration with She Talks Asia, a movement that celebrates the modern woman and provides a space for inspiration and support among women across multiple platforms.

Entitled “Her Story, Her Power: A Women's Month Fireside Chat”, the workshop highlighted the value of embracing one’s self-worth and achieving one’s full potential in order to succeed in both personal and professional life. The event also conducted a breakout session to broaden the discussion on relevant topics on women empowerment, aimed to show how the company values women’s contributions.

In his remarks, GCash Chief People Officer Robert Gonzales highlighted the company’s commitment to champion inclusivity and diversity in GNation and in the fintech sector.

“GCash has always taken pride in promoting equality in its work culture, particularly in recognizing its women workforce who continue to change the game in the FinTech Industry. We are truly excited to be building a community that allows the women of GNation to empower and lean on one another ​​and be courageous and ambitious in any pursuit” Robert said.

GCash currently has 46% women in its workforce, compared to 28.8% industry average. With this, 44% of its leaders are proudly female versus 10% industry average.

The talks and panel discussion were conducted by women leaders from different expertise and diverse backgrounds. G-Xchange, Inc. Chief Finance Officer Marshi Go- Brozo was one of the key speakers and shared her journey of healing, resilience, self-love, and how she found her own voice and purpose.

“When my husband passed away, I was afraid that I would not be able to give my best to my kids. Then one night, I looked at my life and I realized if I believe in my heart that God won’t give me anything beyond what I can bear then it must be true for my kids also. I just have to be here to guide them on what we really need in life. Know your identity. You are valuable because of who you are,” Marshi said.

During the workshop, Dr. Rea Celine Villa, a psychologist in Pasig City General Hospital and a Senior Psychologist at mental health company Mind You, highlighted the value of recognizing one’s self-worth.

“You need to understand and implement self-compassion. It’s loving yourself even if tingin mo hindi ka lovable. Sometimes it’s easier to love someone else but the concept of doing the same is not always taught in our culture, kasi it’s like you work for the family, get high grades for prestige, but we never focus on ourselves. In dire need na you’re in a crisis, doon mas kailangan ng compassion. Not during your wins, but more on your bad times,” Dr. Villa said.

Behavioral economist and Gallup-certified Strengths coach Rose Fres Fausto shared insights on how to address gender gap in the workplace and how to create a better, and more empowered version of yourself.

“We have to champion each other. We, women, have a lot of work interruptions to do unpaid work. More than proving ourselves as a woman, we have to put it on the conversation table because this is just not a problem of women but of society. When we empower women, we don’t just empower the 50 percent of society, but the entire society,” Rose said.

Lynn Pinugu, She Talks Asia CEO and co-founder moderated the fireside chat and offered attendees meaningful insights centered on the event theme.

“Conversations like this are what actually create and allow us to continue building that positive culture because it’s so easy to be complacent. And that’s why I celebrate companies like GCash who always make sure conversations like this are at the forefront,” Lynn said.

Proving itself as a company that values equal opportunity, more and more women leaders can also be seen taking the helm at GCash including its president and CEO Martha Sazon, Chief Technology and Operations Officer Pebbles Sy, Chief Compliance Officer Atty. Cef Sison, Chief Legal Officer Maricor Alvarez-Adriano, Chief Risk Officer Ingrid Berona, and GCash Chief Strategy Officer Rowena Zamora, just to name a few. 

Beyond Women’s Month, GCash continues to support gender equality, create safe spaces for women, and help them become more empowered in pursuit of its vision of achieving Finance for All.