SAMANTHA NICOLE IMPERIAL “ALL FLOWERS ARE beautiful in their own way, and that’s like women too” ‒ Miranda Kerr Flowers and women are somewhat alike. They add beauty and inspiration to those around them, making them even more unique. It is up to them when will they bloom, showing their true colors and when will they wilt or lose their chance to spread positivity and light to others. In honor of Women’s Month, we will highlight three outstanding female alumni from the University of Nueva Caceres, as we gain knowledge about their efforts to promote women empowerment, as they share their journey and conquered milestones.
Leni: The Iris Since iris is known as the flower that symbolizes royalty, respect, and wisdom, this remarkable woman from our university is the current Vice President of the Philippines, Maria Leonor “Leni” Gerona Robredo. She is the country’s 14th Vice President, the second female vice president and the first vice president who hails from the Bicol region. She graduated Law from the University of Nueva Caceres in 1992 and was a probono women’s rights lawyer before entering politics. According to the official website of the Office of the Vice President, Leni has the anti-poverty program, “Angat Buhay”. Food security and nutrition, women’s empowerment, education, healthcare, rural development, and housing are among the six primary advocacies that have inspired this project. Also, she inaugurated “Istorya ng Pag-Asa”, a campaign aimed at spreading optimism and positivity by showcasing incredible stories of everyday Filipinos through words, photos, and films, which would be presented in events, exhibits, and social media. Moreover, Robredo got her latest award. The magazine PeopleAsia has awarded Robredo and the Vice President’s Office the “People of the Year” award for reaching out to communities and creating partnerships with the commercial sector for their COVID-19 response. Robredo is also an advocate of women’s empowerment. She stated in her speech for International Women’s Day that there is so much to be proud of which are the freedom to vote, increased economic and political participation, and stricter legislation protecting women’s rights are all examples of a world that has become more gender-equal in recent generations. Despite these achievements, though, there is still a long way to go. The reality on the ground, however, paints a picture that is far from ideal. “Today is a reminder of the imperative: We
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need to band together to continue the work. We need as many women and allies as possible banging against the glass ceiling and creating spaces where all genders can flourish and contribute to society. Because progress hinges not on the brilliance of a few, but on the sustained united effort of all,” Robredo said.
Alzel: The Gladiolus Alodia Berzel Laguardia, 20, is the gladiolus as she is known to have a strength of character, sincerity, and integrity. She served as the former Supreme Student Government (SSG) President in both Junior High School (20162017) and Senior High School (2018-2020), is the second outstanding lady who completed high school in 2019 and has been a student at the University of Nueva Caceres for a decade. She is now in her second year, pursuing her chosen course, Bachelor of Arts in Journalism at the University of Sto. Tomas (UST) Manila Campus. According to our one-on-one interview, she competed in public speaking and broadcasting competitions when she was in high school, as these were her hobbies. She even represented the university at Regional Competitions, but she claimed that she could not recall all of the awards and prizes she received since she is doing it for experiences and the prizes and awards are just a bonus for her. Laguardia is an awardee of the Philippine Eagle Outstanding Youth Service Award (PEOYSA), a group that acknowledges achievements made by outstanding youths in the Bicol Region, the Isko Award given by UP Harong, and the most recent, which is for placing fourth in the Flash Reporting Category at the recently completed Camilo Osias Art Festival 2021, are the only accolades she can recall. Talking about women
