In Their Voices, Filipino Women Share Stories of Strength and Womanhood

For this year’s International Women’s Month, Vogue Philippines invites leading and rising Filipino women to share their stories.

At every turn of history, Filipino women’s voices have always been present. In the Philippines, Gabriela Silang is the first Filipina to lead a revolt against Spanish colonization. During World War II, food technologist Maria Orosa smuggled food to save lives. In 1937, journalist Pura Villanueva Kalaw led the movement that secured the right to vote for Filipino women.

In 2026, Filipino women are still making history. At the 98th Academy Awards, Filipino-American cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw became the first woman to win for Best Cinematography. At this year’s Winter Olympics, alpine skier Tallulah Proulx became the first and youngest Filipina athlete to compete for the Philippines. In music, Bini will become the first Filipino girl group to perform at Coachella 2026.

In celebration of women’s continuing strength, diversity, talent, and voices, Vogue Philippines invites women across disciplines to share their stories, spanning fashion, photography, art, entertainment, theater, sports, and beyond.

On set, there is an immediate sense of connection and community between women. There are designers Viña Romero and Steph Verano, who swap stories and experiences within the fashion industry. Meanwhile, Halia founder Alexa Jocom and mental health advocate Maria Nilad, who have just met each other, bonded over their passion for their advocacies.

In one quiet corner, filmmaking sisters Mariana and Gabriela Serrano sift through designer clothes. There’s also genealogist Mona Magno-Veluz, chatting with Miss Possibilities founder Suzanna Yuzon, and gushing over drag artist Marina Summers, who recently came out as a transwoman. Summers then went over to DJ and nightlife personality Xtina Superstar, whom she had partied with the night before.

Although they come from different places, there’s an ease to how they admire, uplift, and encourage each other, despite most of them only meeting each other for the first time. A connection that they expressed is needed, because who can better understand women than fellow women?

Summers says it best: “Womanhood is like a community. Womanhood is a movement. Womanhood is, you know, strength that I get from other women as well.” Opening about her struggles, Verano shares the importance of the community as well. “It’s hard to be alone. Although most of the time you have to really work on yourself.”

The Serranos, feel this bond deeply as sisters. They even finish each other’s sentences. “There’s like this unspoken thread of like, trust and—” Mariana begins. “—catching each other,” Gabriela finishes. “It’s fun knowing that you’re there. It’s daunting, obviously,” Mariana says. Gabriela adds, “But facing it together makes it less of a scary thing.”

In a bigger context, for Magno-Veluz, empowering other women is a means to progress. “It is very important for women today to mentor and also learn from those who came ahead of us,” she says. “Because that is the only way we’re going to see the progress that is necessary for women and society in general, to, you know, make life a little better for everyone.”

Nilad adds on to this sentiment: “I think that women have so much to offer in terms of making the world better for everyone, not just for women, but for people who are marginalized, for children, for anyone who is treated unequally in society.”

Diverse voices, all celebrating and uplifting women. Through a portrait series shot by Shaira Luna, see how these women smile, laugh, and cry, as they share their own stories of womanhood.