Beyond the HERizon: InLife Sheroes supports the mobilization of empowered women

As we celebrate Mother’s Day, first and largest Filipino life insurer InLife shines the spotlight on a different kind of motherhood: one that extends beyond the home, and into the communities that need it most.

This was the heartbeat of the recent seventh anniversary celebration of the InLife Sheroes Advocacy and Movement (InLife Sheroes). Under the theme “HERizon: Seven Years Forward,” InLife Sheroes honored women belonging to a powerful ecosystem that has reached out to 16.3 Million lives, many of whom are mothers striving for a better life for their children, families, and communities.

“InLife Sheroes has never been just about numbers. It has always been about purpose. We only need women to reclaim their voices and ensure those voices are heard,” said InLife Executive Chairperson Nina D. Aguas. InLife Sheroes is committed to empowering the Filipino women, especially mothers who are the anchors of our society, to secure their future.

A highlight of the event was the InLife Sheroes Awards, which celebrated the essence of the #StartWithin campaign. Grounded in the belief that meaningful progress begins with inner strength, #StartWithin fosters the confidence to translate intention into action through mentorship, learning, and a supportive community, encouraging women across diverse and underserved sectors, to find the power within themselves to change their world.

The stories of this year’s three InLife Sheroes awardees embody this campaign. They did not wait for the perfect conditions to act. They looked within, found their purpose, and worked earnestly to transform the lives of their fellow Filipinos, even acting as “mothers” to their causes. 

The Mother of Rural Mentorship: Mina Ballesteros

For Mina Ballesteros, Executive Director of the Gelacio I. Yason Foundation – Family Farm School, empowerment is rooted in the earth. She acts as a maternal guardian for the rural youth, ensuring they don’t have to choose between their heritage and education.

“Our students’ parents told us how the school transformed their children. Truly, the greater work lies in character building. We saw that growth of family farm schools like us can contribute to sustainable rural development. Hence, we advocated for the passage of the rural farm school law. However, the farm school subsidy was not covered in the said law so we are now lobbying for its inclusion.”

Like a mother tending her own garden, she dreams of the family farm school system being adopted across the country. “When the system blooms like mushrooms in the field, and integrated development happens, that is how sustainability happens.”

The Mother of Inclusive Opportunities: Cherilyn Secillano

For social enterprise Dwellbeing Founder Cherilyn Secillano, a former corporate executive, the path to social entrepreneurship was paved with a mother’s instinct. Her world shifted during the pandemic when she decided to create natural home products for her son who suffered from a skin condition and allergy. Thus, Dwellbeing blossomed, along with the mission of providing a sanctuary for the marginalized.

“Running a social enterprise is not easy. You have to look at the topline, the bottomline, and the communities you work with. Purpose fuels the business, but profitability sustains that purpose. Dwellbeing is not just about products; it’s about inclusivity, working with different community livelihood-based suppliers nationwide and a 100% deaf team.”

A part of Dwellbeing purchases is donated as meals to families in poverty-stricken areas where eating pagpag (fastood leftovers) is an unfortunate reality.

Secillano shares that every decision she has made for her brand was guided by personal values inculcated in her by her family: integrity, hard work, compassion. “My grandfather used to tell us, keep planting until you get a good harvest, and live simply so others can simply live. These are the key ingredients of Dwellbeing. It revolves around passion and compassion: empathizing with people who need it most and giving them opportunities in life.”

The Mothers of Generational Change: Foundation for Professional Training, Inc. (FPTI)

Representing FPTI, President Imelda Nibungco and school center heads Filipinas de Guzman, Elizabeth Lopez and Aileen Clutario shared heart-stirring stories of women lifted from “wells of despair” through technical-vocational excellence. Their work is the ultimate tribute to motherhood as they take young women and even mothers themselves under their wing, helping them transform into breadwinners and role models.

“I saw how our schools have helped many young women because right after they graduate, they become employed, they support their families, help their communities, and inspire other young women to be like them. I have attended maybe 20 such graduations and each time, I am moved to tears by their stories,” Nibungco said. 

De Guzman echoes this pride. “All our students are scholars. I remember one student who saw our program on Facebook and called it ‘the hand of God’ lifting her up. Today, she works in a five-star hotel. Majority of our students come from referrals of our own graduates. They see the transformation and our graduates as role models, not just breadwinners. A young girl sees another young girl who has transformed into someone else and she starts emulating her.”

Lopez who heads the FPTI Banilad Center in Cebu shares, “Our first batch of Badjao mothers used to beg on the streets. They underwent livelihood skills training in breadmaking/baking and are now selling these to their community and the public school. Our second batch was composed of the daughters who were senior high school graduates. They were trained for a one-year course in hotel and restaurant technology, while ten are being trained in healthcare with the end vision that they will be able to help in their community health center. From 25, we now have about 100 Badjao women helping us.”

Clutario shares that what keeps them going is the reality that they are no longer just working for themselves. “There is always fear and fatigue because we don’t have much resources but we believe in our mission of helping young women achieve their dreams. I want to tell them, to dream big, lead with courage and integrity, and when they get the opportunity to rise, to keep lifting others and giving back.” 

A movement without a sunset

InLife Sheroes rests on four pillars: financial literacy, health and wellness, women-specific solutions, and connection to social and business networks. These are four of the most urgent needs of Filipino women, especially mothers, who are the primary caregivers of their families.

As we pay tribute to our nation’s mothers, these stories remind us that a mother’s influence knows no bounds. Aguas shares, “their stories remind us that empowerment is not abstract. It is practical, it is tangible, it happens in classrooms and communities and in the every day courage of women determined to build a better future for others.” 

InLife Sheroes’ message is clear: the future is not something you wait for, and it is what mothers do best: create, nurture and protect. For more information on InLife Sheroes, visit https://www.inlifesheroes.com/