Mayors Joy Belmonte, Abby Binay, Honey Lacuna-Pangan and Lani Cayetano prove women can lead

Tatler speaks with four public service trailblazers leading some of Metro Manila’s most progressive cities. They share with us their journey and how they intend to use their influence to amplify their advocacies and to address some of the critical issues, especially those involving women and gender equality, affecting society today.

When Mayor Joy Belmonte entered public service, she ran on a platform centred on gender equality. It is no surprise that many of the programmes she focuses on today are geared towards women, children and the LGBTQ+ community. Her beliefs stem from the idea that everyone should have a fair chance from the moment they are born—yet this is far from reality. “We cannot choose the circumstances we are born into, but those born into poverty are already at a major disadvantage. They lack adequate nutrition, have less access to healthcare, have poorer quality education, run a higher risk of dropping out of school, and live in less safe communities,” she says. 

With inclusivity as one of the pillars of her administration, Quezon City became one of the first cities to pass a SOGIE Equality Ordinance, the QC Gender Fair Ordinance. This ensures that the members of the LGBTQ+ community are afforded equal footing in terms of education, health, housing and employment. One of the most popular activities since the law passed is the yearly commitment ceremony for LGBTQ+ couples every Valentine’s Day to celebrate the universality of love. 

The mayor was also closely involved in the setting up Bahay Kanlungan, one of the first LGU-run shelters for abused women, children and members of the LGBTQ+ community, and a one-stop-shop crisis centre for those who are facing violence and abuse. The city also has a programme that provides livelihood in the form of work at sari-sari stores to qualified beneficiaries such as homebound mothers, solo parents, women with disabilities, survivors of gender-based violence and abuse, and wives of drug dependents who are in rehab. 

Besides advocating for inclusivity, Belmonte is also an environmentalist champion of good governance. The Quezon City government allocates 11 to13 per cent of its budget towards climate action and sustainability projects such as bike lanes, urban farms, public parks, solar panels and air-quality monitoring sensors. “We are also among the first cities to ban single-use plastics and phase out single-use packaging materials to limit waste,” says Belmonte, who was also started the Trash to Cashback, which encourages residents to exchange recyclables for points that can be used to buy groceries and pay for utility bills. Her team also ensures that transactions within the city government are convenient and seamless, implementing innovative digitised programmes like the QC Biz Easy, QC Build Easy and QC Pay Easy. These initiatives have made Quezon City a leader in the Ease of Doing Business Index. 

Her role is not without its challenges. “My job as mayor does not end when I go home. I am always on call, my phone can never be silent, and I must be on top of everything,” she says. But Belmonte’s husband, Ray Alimurung is a hands-on father—“He is very active in my son’s life. It’s him that Gael’s teachers and other co-parents see and talk to more,”—and she leads by the examples set by her late mother, the legendary Filipino journalist and newspaper publisher Betty Go-Belmonte. “Work took up so much of my mother’s time, having founded two of the country’s major broadsheets and their related publications. She would sometimes bring me to work, so I always thought a working mum was the norm,” Belmonte says. “She showed me that women can make just as much of a difference in the world as any man and that we shouldn’t feel bad if we give up some of our time with our kids to serve God and our country for as long as our kids understand the value of what we do. I am raising my son the same way she raised me.”

She may lead one of the biggest and wealthiest cities in the Philippines, but she doesn’t let much faze her and is keen to encourage other women to follow her lead. “Whenever someone tells you that you can’t do it,” she says, “don’t listen to them. Instead, tell yourself, ‘I am brave, I am strong, I am fearless, and I will succeed’.”

Leading the highly urbanised city of Makati is no small feat. Mar-len Abigail, or Abby, Binay’s family has led the city for decades. The city’s second female mayor is the daughter of Jejomar Binay, the former vice president of the Philippines, and Dr Elenita Binay, who served from 1998 to 2001 as the first female mayor of Makati City, but that has not exempted her from prejudice in the male-dominated world of politics. She is seldom taken seriously and often dismissed as “less capable” because she is a woman. “[I am also] having difficulty finding mentors or sponsors,” she says. “However, I stood my ground and continued working until the results spoke for themselves.

“I had to start believing in myself and refusing to accept any negative stereotypes about my abilities based on my gender alone,” she continues. And she has the statistics to back her up; her administration is striving to make Makati—one of the wealthiest cities in the Philippines—an inclusive and vibrant city for everyone, focusing on stimulating its economy; improving public safety, healthcare and education; and investing in infrastructure that will support long-term progress. “We are working towards a digital, sustainable Makati, leveraging technology to improve our services and operations. We are also looking into reducing congestion and pollution in the city, creating more green spaces and promoting environmental sustainability,” she says. Binay adds that plans are in place to decongest the city and improve traffic: road widening projects, improvements to the public transportation system, and more walkways.

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“My legacy projects are the intra-city subway and the smart bus system. We’re also opening a state-of-the-art hospital in District 1, which boasts modern facilities focusing on prevention, treatment and rehabilitation services,” Binay says, mentioning, in particular, the planned cancer and cardiac centres, as well as the physical rehabilitation medical centre that will use robotics to treat joint and soft tissue ailments. “These projects will have a lasting impact on the quality of life for Makati residents, and I am very proud to be leading the effort.”

Binay is particularly invested in projects that address the needs of fellow women and mothers; these include a solid maternity health programme from pre- to post-natal care, annual forums that discuss women’s rights, reproductive health, gender equality and leadership, and livelihood opportunities for marginalised women. “I strongly believe that it is the responsibility of our government to ensure that the rights of Filipino women are respected, protected, and fulfilled,” she says, encouraging everyone to strive to make an environment where no one is left behind due to their gender. “Ultimately, my dream is for women in the Philippines to have the freedom and means to truly live life on their terms and based on their principles.”  

She is especially keen to prove to her daughter, Martina, and all the young girls of Makati, how strong and influential women can be. “Don’t be afraid to take chances—they are often the stepping stones to success. There is no force more powerful than the will of a determined woman.”

Like many of her fellow graduates, a promising young Broadcast Communications major had plans of working her way up in the world of journalism. But as her life’s verse Proverbs 19:21 says, “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” That is how Lani Cayetano found herself becoming the youngest and first female Representative and Mayor of the City of Taguig.

Fresh out of college, she worked as a political officer for the late Senator Rene “Compañero” Cayetano’s team. This job gave her a chance to connect with communities and LGUs. This is also where she met then-Representative Alan Peter Cayetano, Rene’s eldest son. After they got married, her commitment to public service deepened further. “I happily volunteered my time and passion whenever possible. Serving the community was natural for me; it wasn’t a burden.”

Little did she realise that this work was preparing her for a more significant role ahead. “During my college days, I was always doing social work whether it was serving the aged or joining outreach programmes. But politics was never in my plans.” Seeing her sincere desire to serve others, family members and church leaders encouraged her to run for office. In 2007 at the age of 25, she ran as a representative of the first congressional district of Taguig-Pateros. She won, making her the youngest and first female Representative of the City of Taguig.

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Her first experience as a public servant created a yearning in her to do more. “I wanted to connect with communities on the ground, get to know the people, and come up with projects that will alleviate their situations,” says Lani. Taking a leap of faith, she ran for Mayor of the City of Taguig and was elected at the age of 28, becoming the youngest and first female Mayor of the city. It was under her administration that Taguig’s transformation into one of the country’s most progressive cities began. She served for three consecutive terms, and eventually returned to Congress in 2019. In 2022, the people of Taguig chose her once again to lead their city with the highest margin of victory in the history of Taguig.

“I guess a big factor [in being re-elected] is that, since I invested a lot of time getting to know the people, there’s already a certain comfort level. They know they can easily reach out to me. I’m not perfect – I’m still a work in progress – but in everything I do, I look up to God, my husband, and our support group, so that my decisions in life receive the best guidance,” she says.

One main focus of Lani’s administration has always been to maintain a reliable business-friendly policy. “For several years now, Taguig has been the top choice for investors. We want to send a strong message that Taguig is open for business, that when you invest in us, we will make sure to be an effective partner of the private sector,” she says, explaining that this would later translate into employment opportunities for her constituents. 

Part of her agenda is to introduce Taguig as a “probinsyudad”—a portmanteau of the words probinsya (province) and ciudad (city)—in  Metro Manila. “We’re trying to achieve a balance of the old and the new. We want to celebrate our cultural heritage along with our move towards modernization. Aside from Bonifacio Global City, another business district will soon rise in Arca South. At the same time, there’s a push to develop the old town of Taguig as a tourist destination. There’s also much development in the Lakeshore community,” Lani says.

But more than infrastructure, Lani believes the real investment should be in her constituents. “People are the greatest resource of any city, that’s why caring for them through education and social services is my topmost priority. That’s how you bring about real change and transformation in their lives.” 

A big part of her social services programme is dedicated to women. Ating Dibdibin, a breast cancer awareness programme in collaboration with ICanServe Foundation, is dubbed the most comprehensive in the country. She also works closely with the Progressive Ladies League of the Philippines, a core organisation that has supported her endeavours. “I want women to feel encouraged in whatever they do because we can do anything—we only need the right support and the right platform to achieve our potential.” 

What about her personal life? She admits that being married to a fellow politician can make it challenging to balance life and work as public servants. “But we still manage to rest and take a break from our hectic schedules. Lately we’ve been doing a lot of meditation, reflection and devotion so we’re happy that we’re growing in faith,” Lani says. She also reveals their hope to have a child soon. “We’re really praying for it. But come to think of it, I was given the unique opportunity to be the mother of a city which is a wonderful privillege. For me, motherhood comes in many forms and if it’s God’s will, He will give it to us,” she says.

Humbled yet buoyed by a city investor’s comment on her achievements during her term—“Do  you realise that what you did in Taguig, other cities did in three decades?” —Lani attributes this to her faith and the contributions of various stakeholders. “All of this was made possible through God’s grace, and by people who only have the city’s best interests at heart.”

Reflecting on her own journey, Lani hopes to inspire other women. “Don’t let people put you down because of your age and gender. As a woman, you have the right and the ability to pursue what you want in life. As long as you surrender to God’s plans and fulfill His purpose for you, He will equip you,” the mayor concludes.

Naturally drawn to helping people, Honey Lacuna-Pangan started serving her community as a health centre doctor. After 28 years, confident that she could do more, she ran for public office and became a councillor, holding that position for nine years, during which she also served as the majority floor leader, the first woman to do so. Her career in government continued when she became the first female vice mayor of Manila and, most recently, in 2022, the first female mayor of the Philippine capital. 

 But not even her solid record in government is enough to protect against discrimination based on her gender. “Some people think that, as a woman, I’ll be too ‘soft’ to be a capable mayor. I am indeed soft—I consider my empathy and compassion in leadership to be a gift, never a detraction. However, you don’t get to where I am by rolling over and letting people step all over you,’ she says. “I’ve been assertive and decisive when necessary, and I think that’s reflected in my actions as a public servant. I am patient and kind, but never to the point of letting people push me around.” 

Lacuna-Pangan gives us an example of how she and her male peers are treated. “A graphic was made comparing my opponent and me. Under his achievements, they listed ‘businessman’, ‘entrepreneur’, etc., but for me, they only wrote ‘dermatologist’. There was no mention of my work as a public servant,” she says. “By writing ‘dermatologist’, it was as if they were questioning my validity as a doctor because of my specialisation. Would they have been confident enough to minimise my achievements if I were a man, or if they would have given me the credit I deserve? 

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As a doctor, her priority is healthcare. “I have big dreams for Manila,” she says, adding that she is working towards the capital having the best healthcare in the Philippines by 2030, a goal her administration intends to achieve by converting city health centres into super health centres, providing health services on a par with private hospitals, all for free. 

Lacuna-Pangan also wants to build halfway houses for street dwellers and improve existing facilities to uplift the dignity of Manileños in need; she has also put in place a push for tourism highlighting Manila’s cultural heritage. 

 As Manila’s first female mayor, Lacuna-Pangan is, of course, rolling out projects that support women. “We are doing this through initiatives centred on solo parents. In Manila, over 90 per cent of solo parents are women. These women deserve our backing, and we assist them in various ways,” she says. One example is a potential livelihood project with Pampinay, a clothing company that creates sustainable Filipiniana outfits. 

Lacuna-Pangan feels there are still a lot of blind spots when it comes to laws that leave women vulnerable. One such can be found in the country’s Magna Carta for Women, a supposedly comprehensive law protecting women’s human rights. “In practice, the law fails to shield women from violence adequately. For example, it upholds that women should be protected by law from rape in any capacity but does not adequately override and rectify the shortcomings of the Anti-Rape law. One such shortcoming is the ‘forgiveness clause’, which states that a rapist can be forgiven of rape if he marries his victim,” she says, the disappointment evident in her voice. This massive oversight, she says, greatly affects victims, “as many of them can be raped and then forced to marry their rapists to avoid shame, all the while absolving their aggressors of crime”. Another law that she believes needs attention is the Family Code, which states that a petition for legal separation can be filed if there are “repeated” acts of physical violence within the marriage, meaning women are faced with staying in the relationship if their husband hits them once.

Summing up her dreams for all women, not only in Manila but throughout the country, she says: “If a woman wants to focus on their education or career, I want more scholarship programmes for them, offices to aid in career planning, and even avenues to help those who face career discrimination. If a woman wants to prioritise motherhood and family life, I also want support, such as health centres, that can help with family planning and comprehensive pre-and post-natal care. If a woman wants it all—the career, the family life—I want systems that will allow them to do it all, like better maternity leave and more support for working mothers. Whatever women want, I will work to give them the proper resources to go full steam ahead.” 

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