These 10 Filipinas Prove The Power Women in STEM Have

In support of UN Women Philippines, Her Legacy Project launches the SHESTEMS program, awarding 10 Filipina college students with scholarships.

Earlier this year, youth representative Mandy Romero brought Filipino women’s voices to the United Nations’ floor, calling on world leaders to support women’s education in the Philippines. In her speech, she writes, “Invest in women, and watch it change the world.” Award-winning journalist Karen Davila feels the same. Under the foundation Her Legacy Project, Davila launches the SHESTEMS scholarship program, her first project as a UN Women National Goodwill Ambassador.

Courtesy of Karen Davila

According to UN Women Philippines, only 3 out of 10 Filipinos working in STEM are women. It is a narrative that they strive to change, as it is predicted that in 2025, 75% of most jobs in the world will need STEM-skilled workers. A key component of the Her Legacy Project, SHESTEMS aims to empower women in STEM through education by providing financial support, mentorship, nurturing, and networking opportunities to 10 selected STEM Filipina college students.

Along with these, they also embarked on a 3-day program designed to improve their leadership capabilities, deepen their understanding of gender equality, and reinforce their roles as future women leaders in STEM. The program culminated in an awarding ceremony at the University of the Philippines, attended by Davila, the UP scholarship team, and UN Women representatives.

As they move forward in their education, get to know the 10 Filipina SHESTEMS scholarship awardees.

Joeimarie Carmela Bueno, Aspiring Community Researcher

Courtesy of Karen Davila

The Philippines is at the forefront of natural disasters, made worse by the ongoing climate crisis. With these issues in mind, Bueno dreams of becoming a community researcher in the field of planetary health, contributing to the conservation of the environment to protect human health. As someone who is met with financial challenges, she understands the struggle of finding mentors in her field. As such, she has also already begun mentoring public high school students who are interested in entering STEM.

Gwyneth Precious Kiunisala, Aspiring Food Technologist

Courtesy of Karen Davila

In the Philippines, 14.2% of Filipino families experience hunger daily. Kiunisala personally experiences this struggle, relying on her single mother to finance her education and needs. Coming from this perspective, she aspires to be a pioneering food technologist who studies the physical, chemical, and biological properties of food to help improve their nutritional lives.

Kryzell Carmona, Aspiring Geologist

In the same vein as Bueno, Carmona also hopes to make a difference in climate change, specifically in the field of geology. Working towards becoming a geologist, Carmona aspires to have a doctorate in geology and publish her research papers, contributing to the field of sustainability.

Kate Macabalos, Aspiring Astrostastician

Courtesy of Karen Davila

Currently, there are only three astrophysicists and space scientists in the country, and there are no numbers as to how many astrostatisticians there are. Regardless, Macabalos aims for the stars, aspiring to be an astrostatistician, a field involving astrophysics, statistical analysis, and data mining. With this, she hopes to have a career in the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA), the central government agency addressing all national issues and activities related to space science and technology applications.

Krystel Joy Swin, Aspiring Geodetic Engineer and Researcher

Courtesy of Karen Davila

In the Philippines, there is also a need for more geodetic engineers, specifically women engineers in the construction industry. Swin hopes to join this field, striving to become a geodetic engineer and researcher with a specialization in remote sensing.

Sophia Rhys Bañados, Aspiring Neuroscientist

Following her heart, Bañados chooses to study the brain, pursuing the path of a neuroscientist. In this field, she will work to understand the nervous system, which includes the brain, spinal cord, and nerve cells. A field commonly associated with men, she dreams of being a pioneer in discovering a medical breakthrough for brain function.

Elaiza De Luna, Aspiring Agriculturist

Courtesy of Karen Davila

The Philippines is a country abundant with agricultural riches, and it is vital to further enrich it. In this field, women make up 39% of farmers in the country, but the number is smaller for those who hold science positions in agriculture. De Luna aspires to be one of the few women in agriculture, striving to be an agriculturist. With this role, she aims to work on agricultural and environmental sustainability and conduct research and experiments to improve the productivity and sustainability of field crops, which is a national food security issue.

Claire Jaradal, Aspiring Data Analyst

Courtesy of Karen Davila

Over the past few years, the demand for data analyst jobs has increased. A role involving decision-making, improving efficiency, enhancing customer experiences, and managing risks by interpreting complex data sets, it is often a field dominated by men, with males outnumbering females by more than 4 to 1. Jaradal aspires to change this narrative, dreaming of finding success as a female data analyst.

Gwyneth Ross Bukuhan, Aspiring Chemical Engineer

Courtesy of Karen Davila

Chemical engineers are high in demand in the Philippines, but only 26% of Filipina women are engineers. In this field, Bukuhan strives to become a chemical engineer in the research and development of the beauty, health, and wellness industries. As she studies, she continues to search for role models who can help her achieve her dream of starting a local manufacturing plant, which will provide livelihood for Filipinos.

Raiza Junio, Aspiring Physician-Scientist

In the STEM field, Junio seeks to acquire new knowledge about health, disease, or delivery of patient care through research as a physician-scientist. With only 1 doctor for every 40 Filipinos in the Philippines, she combines her love for research and medicine to help improve the quality of medicine in the Philippines.

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