At 4:30 pm, the Vice President attended the international conference Women Today: Innovators and Agents of the Future at the Marriott Hotel in Pasay City, Manila. In partnership with Women Influence Community (WIC), the forum is set to convene the most prolific women today and decode how they effectively carry out their roles (as entrepreneur, professional, muse, mother, citizen, and creator) in society. It also aims to raise issues hindering women from empowering themselves and taking steps to eliminate inequalities between genders.

In her speech, the Vice President likened the role of a mother to a role of being a servant leader. “To me, the task of nationbuilding is somewhat like motherhood. We selflessly give ourselves to helping those who need it the most and we give without counting the cost. When I assumed office in 2016, we took it upon ourselves to focus on helping the poorest families in the country. We turned the Office of the Vice President into an advocacy-heavy organization that links communities to private groups to better serve our fellow countrymen in dire need of help. Our program, Angat Buhay, became our brave response to uplift the lives of Filipino families, especially those from the smallest, farthest and poorest communities.So to all mothers and women in this room and across the nation: Remember that you are made for times like this and you are meant to survive even during the most difficult times. To lead with great heart is inherent within every mother and every woman. That every trial, every difficulty, can be turned into an opportunity to lead with both strength and empathy. And this is what we all need to have—the kind of strength that draws from a deep well of love, compassion, humility, courage, and integrity.”