Front & Female Awards 2025: 3 female trailblazers championing cultural heritage and workers’ rights in the Philippines

Maria Aurora “Aimee” Carandang-Gloria is a pioneering Filipina aviator recognised as the first female commercial airline pilot in the Philippines. She made history in 1989 when she flew her first commercial flight with Philippine Airlines (PAL), breaking gender barriers in a traditionally male-dominated industry. In 1993, she further distinguished herself by becoming the first woman in the Philippines to be named captain of a commercial airline aircraft.

After her aviation career, Carandang-Gloria shifted her focus to social advocacy and leadership roles. She started a volunteer for the Kabisig ng Kalahi Foundation and is now its Vice President. The foundation’s feeding programmes have been adopted as templates by the government and other organisations to address child malnutrition in the Philippines.

She was also the former executive director for various social enterprises, including Invisible Sisters and Gkonomics. She also acts as the executive director of the Fair Employment Training and Assessment Center Inc (FTC), a social enterprise dedicated to preparing Filipino migrant domestic workers for overseas employment and life, aiming to reduce job turnover and improve worker welfare.

What is your greatest strength? 

When I was a pilot, we had to think quickly and had to be three steps ahead of a problem because people’s lives were on the line. Simulation of every possible emergency was standard in our line of work. I realised later on that I had brought that training to everything I do. 

Setting up a training centre that we envisioned to be the gold standard for domestic work training was a big challenge. There were so many barriers to operating ethically. We had to think of creative and practical solutions to problems. The pandemic added another layer of difficulty. Training was stopped. It forced us to pivot in unexpected ways, but looking back, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. It gave us the time to reflect, reimagine our curriculum and redesign how we deliver training to truly address the evolving needs of workers.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve received? 

There’s no limit to what I can do, so when opportunities come, I should take them and do my best. Those words have stayed with me ever since I heard them. They remind me to lead with purpose, to trust in the value of hard work and to never shy away from responsibility or opportunity. This advice has shaped how I approach my work—always grounded in care, driven by purpose and guided by the belief that doing your best, regardless of outcome, is enough.

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Maribel Ongpin is a prominent figure in the Philippine textile industry, known for her leadership role in preserving and promoting traditional Filipino textiles. She is the chairman emeritus of HABI: The Philippine Textile Council, a non-governmental organisation dedicated to preserving indigenous textile practices, modernising the local textile industry and supporting traditional weavers across the Philippines.

Ongpin has been actively involved in initiatives to revive the Philippine cotton industry, working with farmers and government agencies to increase cotton production and improve the livelihoods of local weavers. Under her leadership, HABI organises the annual Likhang HABI Market Fair, which showcases handwoven textiles and provides small and medium enterprises opportunities to market their crafts. She advocates for the use of natural fibres like cotton over synthetic alternatives to ensure better quality and fair compensation for farmers and weavers.

What advice would you share with the next generation of women and girls?

Learn good values and trust yourself to live your life under their light.

Why is it important for you to support women in the Philippines?

Women can do so much to make the world better. Filipino women of all walks of life have a gift of empathy, sacrifice and goodwill. They must be encouraged to follow their innate goodness and share it with others. They must love themselves and have the confidence to have ambitions that can be fulfilled through their effort. They are the realistic hope for a better world.

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