UAE paves innumerable ways for windows of opportunities

Mariecar Jara-Puyod, Senior Reporter

Every opportunity presents at least one door not only for one’s sake but for all. Seize it, keeping in mind that the steps each one takes, must be for the good of the majority, if not all.

Ending March with the goal to inspire more women towards a much better world, this was from the “Filipinas in Dubai” of the Community Development Authority of Dubai-accredited Filipino Social Club, held last Sunday in Dubai.

Six were given the stage for how their origins and the UAE have continually harnessed and emboldened them to properly use their God-given intellect and talents. Five were honoured by way of the “Community Engagement Excellence Awards.” Eighteen were recipients of the Filipinas Achievers Awards.

The Community Engagement Excellence Awards is for the effort of women public servants in enhancing the welfare and well-being of fellow citizens in the UAE. The Filipinas Achievers Awards recognise the leadership and positive impact on the society of Filipino women known to excel in business, education and community service.

It was Mariveth Kong who came to Dubai in 2010 for a holiday from her work as a congressional staff “on leave after the Philippines’ national campaign and elections that year,” that set the pace for the talks when she delivered “Women,” proof that among Filipino women are literary geniuses, aside from “Alex Hades” trilogy author Izabella Faye Lebig, among the six speakers.

Specifically written for the event, “Women,” among Kong’s English poetry since grade school, is about “the woman who can do a lot despite challenges” and “who deserves to have equal opportunities to show the world she can.”

The untitled second poem of the Waterclub Customer Service team leader is in Filipino and for her mother’s 75th birthday in April 2022: “It was honouring all the struggles that my mom faced to provide us a decent life. Our dad passed on when I was three years old.”

Susan Villanueva de Guzman concentrated on the vast economic contributions of Filipino men and women artists. Aside from the centuries-old tattoo art of Wang Oud, she cited the hundreds to millions of dollars-worth of paintings of Imelda Cajipe-Endaya, Anita Magsaysay-Ho, Pacita Abad, Vicente Manansala, Fernando Amorsolo, and Ben Cabrera.

One of her paintings she brought to the Philippines was sold for double the price the art gallery had purchased from her. The Arts & Design educator/contemporary artist and 30-year UAE resident who comes from a “family of doctors” who used to hide her “growing up” sketches and paintings, appealed that parents must encourage and more importantly support their children’s interests.

Fourteen-year-old Lebig is fortunate enough to have that backing from her parents Ben and Clovell. Two years back, she recalled that among the drivers for her eventual short story to novel writings was her and her mom’s trip to the library near her dad’s workplace.

Writing has become her life with tidbits of “my persona,” she said on Sunday.

Professionals-turned-entrepreneurs LGA Cargo co-owner Marianne Mejia, Philippine Business Council-Dubai secretary Evangeline Monjardin, and former banker-turned-housewife Jomana Mohamad stressed on the necessary faithfulness and trust in God, positive thinking and humility, hard work and endurance. These make one resilient and wise, particularly in decision-making.

Human resources director Florence Bueno cautioned that much as the Filipino women are recognised, integrity is crucial. Thus, “convey the correct message” so as not to be taken advantage of.

In their respective speeches, Philippine Ambassador to the UAE Alfonso Ferdinand Ver and Consul General Designate to Dubai and the Northern Emirates Marford Angeles hailed the Filipino women’s ability to break glass ceilings amidst the “open, tolerant, and nurturing UAE.”

Ver said the GCC has become the assignment of five Filipino women ambassadors — Hjayceelyn Quintana and Grace Relucio Princesa, UAE; Imelda Panolong, Oman and the first highest Filipino-Muslim career diplomat woman to Saudi Arabia where she served as consul general; Anne Jalano-On Louis, Bahrain; and Lillibeth Pono, Qatar. He pointed out that the Filipina experience in the UAE is a reflection of the Philippines’ 16th ranking among 146 countries in the 2023 World Economic Forum’s “Global Gender Gap Index Report.”

Angeles quoted from the Holy Bible: “Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify God who is in heaven.”