By addressing the historical grievances and aspirations of Muslim-majority areas, she paved the way for the creation of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (BARMM), which was recognised by the Hillary Clinton Award for Advancing Peace and Security a year later and earned her the coveted Ramon Magsaysay Award.

In her acceptance speech, Coronel-Ferrer cited other pressing issues around the world that need attention: the war between Israel and Palestine, the continuing invasion of Russia on Ukraine, the coup in Myanmar and the rising number of deaths in these parts of the world. Despite these bleak surroundings, she looks forward to a bright future.

“Hope is a beautiful four-letter word pregnant with life’s meaning. Hope that we find in the stories of efforts that have paved ways out of large-scale, longstanding political violence,” she said.

She mentioned in her speech how the Bangsamoro peace could be a story worth telling that could “tame the unruly behaviour of the political class and eventually produce transformative leadership”. She offered her award to her fellow peace advocates, “women and men who never tire in building peace, every day, everywhere, for every person, one step at a time”. She also dedicated it to those who keep the faith in history written by the victors, “those from all sides [of conflict] who did not forsake our humanity but defended it”. And lastly, to the women in their particular communities, “often ignored, often sidelined, but now empowered to believe in their strength and capabilities, in no small way by being part of an evergrowing movement—a sisterhood of peacebuilders, mediators, negotiators, conflict preventers and transformers”.

Despite being heir-apparent to the international luxury brand Jewelmer, co-founded and continues to be helmed by his father Jacques, this CEO and executive vice president believes that there is more work to be done for the brand as it affects the community where it is based and has a critical role in the environment, in general.

“I plan to carry forward the same values as our founders by leaving a positive and lasting impact through sustainable improvements in areas where we work, as well as through the relationships that we build, in natural environments and communities,” Jacques Christophe Branellec said.

Through Save Palawan Seas Foundation, Jewelmer supports relief efforts for natural disasters and helps communities around their pearl farm in Palawan to thrive. The foundations made efforts in forest rehabilitation, coastal clean-ups, and even the re-growing corals in nurseries to repopulate damaged reefs to the best of their ability.

As Jewelmer marks its 45th anniversary this year, Branellec reveals that it will hold an anniversary gala in Hong Kong as a token of gratitude to the global pearl industry. Moreover, an exciting partnership with an upcoming K-drama series is in the works.

As the CEO of NEO, Raymond Rufino heads the country’s top green developer and the first company worldwide to be certified as EDGE Zero Carbon by the International Finance Corporation for all its office buildings in Bonifacio Global City.

“Our sustainability report reflects our dedication to creating a positive impact,” Rufino said at an event held by NEO. “It is designed to be relevant, concrete, and impactful while adhering to global standards and benchmarks. As a private company, we are not obligated to produce this report, but our unwavering dedication to sustainability prompted us to undertake this initiative. We firmly believe that it is essential to openly and transparently discuss our commitments, the actions we’ve taken to fulfil them, and our company’s overall performance, including our buildings.”

In prioritising its stakeholders’ health, safety, and well-being, NEO is the first office portfolio in Southeast Asia to achieve the WELL Health-Safety rating, thanks to its initiatives in carbon reduction. NEO attributes this achievement to its longstanding partnership with AboitizPower and piloting the Philippine Green Building Council’s projects, such as Building for Ecologically Responsive Design Excellence and the Advancing Net Zero Philippines programmes.

This esteemed public servant has captivated many Filipinos, especially Pasigueños, for his youthful, transformational, and transparent leadership as mayor of Pasig City. Now, in his second term, Vico Sotto was elected on a platform geared towards improving the welfare of his people and being a paragon of good governance.

Sotto’s recent accomplishments include shutting down online gambling platforms in Pasig City, directing the apprehension of a city hall employee allegedly soliciting and accepting a bribe during a transaction, and launching the city’s two new mobile vehicle facilities—a diagnostic clinic and a family planning clinic.

One of his ongoing projects is the reconstruction of the Pasig City Hall to make it structurally sound and capable of providing better government services, as well as an inviting space for locals as a campus, mega-market, playground, evacuation centre, and senior citizen centre.

In his leadership, Pasig City envisions itself as a healthy, livable and sustainable green city that will stand as a model of urban development.

Former print and broadcast journalist Teddy Boy Locsin is one of the most revered speechwriters in the country who served former Presidents Corazon Aquino, Joseph Estrada, and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. A respected public servant in his own right, her served as the first district representative of Makati City from 2001 to 2010. In 2017, Locsin began his term as the country’s permanent representative to the United Nations and also became the foreign affairs secretary a year later until 2022, making him the longest-serving in the position under the administration of former president Rodrigo Duterte. Locsin is the Philippine Ambassador to the United Kingdom and special envoy to China for special concerns.

In his stint in the United Nations, the Philippines voted against a UN resolution urging Myanmar to end its military campaign against Rohingya Muslims living in the Rakhine state. The country also abstained on the UN vote to declare the US recognition of Jerusalem as Israel‘s capital null and void during an emergency session in 2017. In March 2018, Locsin submitted the country’s letter of withdrawal from the Rome Statute, the treaty establishing the International Criminal Court. Later, Locsin vacated the post, with Enrique Manalo succeeding him.

Earlier this year, the Philippine Embassy in the UK announced its ongoing collaboration with Filipino Senior Nurses Alliance UK to develop solutions for internationally educated nurses in the UK. Also, Locsin signed the memorandum of understanding on defence cooperation between the Philippines’ Department of National Defense and the UK’s Ministry of Defence. 

From being a student-activist in her high school years protesting against the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant to being a key opposition figure in the senate, Senator Risa Hontiveros is resolute in promoting public health, the rights of women and other marginalised groups, and the welfare of the Filipino family.

A former broadcast journalist, Hontiveros served as the representative of Akbayan Partylist. Now in her second term as senator, she has championed 25 new landmark laws, including the Expanded Maternity Leave Law (RA 11210), allowing working mothers to have 105 days of paid maternity leave, and the Mental Health Law (RA 11036), which provides the first legal framework over mental health care in the country.

Hontiveros also made a reputation of being a watchdog for leading Senate investigations exposing corruption and abuses in government. Among others, she led the probe on the controversial pastillas scam involving personnel of the Bureau of Immigration and raised the people’s awareness regarding Socorro Bayanihan Services Inc, a Surigao del Norte cult that was reported for child abuse, exploitation, child marriage, manipulation of members, and other cult practices.

Outside the Senate, Hontiveros is a loving and hands-on single parent to four children. During the Pride March in Quezon City last year, she wore fairy wings and walked alongside the LGBTQIA+ community, which she has been a staunch ally of, as evident in her principally authoring the SOGIE Bill.

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