South Holland, The Netherlands, 15 October 2022: Myra Colis, Founding Chairperson of MABIKAs Foundation-The Netherlands is selected for the 2022 Most Influential Filipina Woman in the World Award™ (Founder & Pioneer Category) from the Foundation for Filipina Women’s Network (FWN). The awarding ceremony will take place on November 2, 2022 at the 18th Filipina Leadership Global Summit in Lisbon, Portugal.
“The Global FWN100™ awardees are innovators and thought leaders, dynamic entrepreneurs, rising stars under age 35, practitioners, and public service advocates, who have moved through the ranks in the public and private sectors. They are magnificent women doing extraordinary work trailblazing for the next generation leaders,” said Marily Mondejar, Founder and CEO of the Foundation for Filipina Women’s Network. The Award recognizes women of Philippine ancestry who are influencing the face of leadership in the global workplace, having reached status for outstanding work in their respective professions, industries, and communities. The awardees are honored for their contributions to society, femtorship (female mentoring), and legacy.
Colis was selected from an outstanding field of nominees from 10 countries. “Each nominee goes through a rigorous multi-stage vetting process by the Global FWN100™ Awards Selection Committee composed of global awardees,” explained Maria Fides Balita, CPA, a selection committee member. The Search Committee, composed of a team of Global FWN100™ Awardees, selected the 2022 awardees based on the size and scope of their positions, influence in their industries, professions and communities, board affiliations, and leadership roles.
The FOUNDER & PIONEER award category honors Filipina women as the chief executive, president, executive director, or founder of a company, community organization, non-profit, or business venture that they helped start, build or significantly grow. This award category is for the trailblazers who have marshalled resources and applied innovative practices, processes, and/or technologies in a new and ground-breaking way to address a significant business or organizational opportunity.
Filipina Women’s Network
As Founding Chairperson of MABIKAs Foundation, Colis is rooted in MABIKAs’ mission to help eradicate prejudice against indigenous people in general by utilizing the power of information and education. According to Colis, such prevalence of prejudice against the indigenous people (and against any member of a minority group) is mainly due to knowledge barrier or the lack of understanding of who these groups of people are.
“As the old adage says, knowledge is power and it is this power that we wanted to tap on to help address this social problem,” said Colis. “That through knowledge and skills acquisition, not only can we help ourselves and other indigenous groups to survive but also to thrive and bring forth positive impact in the Dutch society or anywhere we go.”
Since 2015, Colis has also been advocating for women’s rights through her role as Board Secretary of Bayanihan Foundation. In 2019, Myra survived breast cancer and published a book about it, calling her battle with cancer an adventure. In addition to her community work, she is also a mother of two, an active law student advocating for rights-based diversity and inclusion, and currently doing her Master’s Degree in International Technology Law after having completed her Bachelor’s Law Degree at VU University Amsterdam.
During the 18th Filipina Leadership Global Summit from October 30 to November 2, Colis will then be joining an esteemed group of distinguished Filipina women worldwide who are advocating with FWN its mission to increase the power and influence of Filipina women as leaders and policymakers in the private and public sectors. With members in 34 countries, FWN provides influence, knowledge and success by nurturing the growth and influence of members’ businesses and careers, breaking the barriers that make it difficult or impossible to succeed.
The Global FWN100™ Award is a “working award” with a meaningful purpose: A Filipina woman leader in every sector of the global economy. The awardees re-invent themselves, pay forward, and develop their global imprint with their Global Pitch, a two-year short-term project that benefits the Filipina women in their geographical location. They “pay forward” by femtoring next-generation leaders and women re-entering the global workplace and sponsoring their attendance at the Filipina Summit.
