In photo (L-R; top): Dove Subingsubing, Evident Managing Partner; Raoul Littaua, InLife President & CEO; Don Jose Basa, Sanofi Country Lead & Head of Pharma; Adrian Tiozon, ACCIONA Head of HR; Dr. Salin Kataria, Carelon Managing Director; Romualdo “Boyet” Murcia III, P&A Chairman & Managing Partner; Anna Chua-Norbert, DDB Group Chief Culture Officer & Bent & Buzz Managing Director. (L-R; bottom): Melissa Vergel De Dios, PLDT First Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer; Emily Abrera, FOCI President; Ma. Aurora “Boots” Geotina-Garcia, PhilWEN Founding Chairperson & President and PBCWE Governing Council Chairperson; Rossana “Rosing” Fajardo, SGV Country Managing Partner; Kyler Luna, Carelon Director for Clinical Operations.
13 March 2026, Makati City, Philippines — The Philippine Business Coalition for Women Empowerment (PBCWE) gathered senior executives and industry leaders from across sectors for its PBCWE—Leaders for Change (LfC) Roundtable Discussion on January 29, 2026, reinforcing the urgent call for inclusive, equitable, and sustainable leadership in Philippine workplaces.
The roundtable brought together executive champions from PBCWE member companies including ACCIONA, Carelon Global Solutions Philippines, DDB Group Philippines, Evident Integrated Marketing & PR, Insular Life, P& Grant Thornton, Sanofi Philippines, SGV & Co., and PLDT, Inc. to share lived experiences, challenge traditional leadership systems, and translate advocacy for workplace gender equality into concrete action. Anchored on the three pillars of the LfC initiative—Leaders’ Link, Stories’ Link, and Mentors’ Link—the discussion emphasized the need for leaders to go beyond intent and become active champions of inclusion.
Anna Chua-Norbert, DDB Group Chief Culture Officer, and Bent & Buzz Managing Director shared that “Access to opportunities, especially in rural areas, are still reserved for the entitled few. The more we open our minds to provide real equity, the more we see how they can make real lasting impact — because of their attitude of gratitude to have been given access to raise the quality of their life through the work we provide. This works to everyone’s advantage.”
Seasoned business leaders shared how inclusive leadership is shaped by empathy, listening, and long-term responsibility. The discussion highlighted that inclusion must be embedded in leadership roles, policies, and everyday workplace behavior—creating psychologically safe environments where diverse voices can thrive. Participants were united in the view that when organizations extend meaningful access to communities beyond the capital, they unlock commitment and resilience that benefits everyone.
The roundtable also highlighted the importance of mentorship and intentional inclusion in building future leadership pipelines, with participants emphasizing education as a powerful equalizer and a sustained investment in inclusive growth. Across industries, leaders agreed that inclusion is no longer optional—organizations that fail to embed equity and diversity into their leadership and culture risk becoming irrelevant in a rapidly changing business landscape.
Ma. Aurora “Boots” Geotina-Garcia, PhilWEN Founding Chairperson & President, PBCWE Governing Chairperson also emphasized that ““The Leaders for Change Roundtable reaffirmed that leadership legacy is defined by who gets included, who gets heard, and who gets to lead next.”
During the facilitation of the roundtable discussion
LfC serves as PBCWE’s leadership platform designed to expand its offerings for member companies by engaging CEOs and senior leaders in structured, high-impact mentorship and peer-learning programs.
Through this exclusive platform, leaders connect with peers, share their leadership journeys, and mentor emerging talents—helping embed diversity, equity, and inclusion into organizational strategies and ensuring that the legacy of today’s leaders is defined not only by business performance, but by the inclusive and empowered communities they help build.
