Better Together, Always: She Talks Asia Hosts its 10th Annual Summit

She Talks Asia [STA] hosted its 10th annual Summit, “Better Together,” co-presented by GCash, Cetaphil, and Creamsilk, and powered by Globe. The event gathered more than 300 attendees, eager to learn from a full day of talks, workshops, and panel discussions.

In many ways, this year’s Summit marked both a return to form and a reinvention of its original format, as She Talks Asia, for the first time, introduced not one, but two Co-Chairs: creative and content creator Hannah Pangilinan, and award-winning journalist Atom Araullo. Representing key demographics, Gen Z and men, respectively, their presence in the Summit highlighted the importance of expanding the conversation to bridge gaps and take more meaningful strides toward gender equality and women’s empowerment.

To open the Summit, Hannah Pangilinan gave a solo talk, “Creating Your Community.” As a member of the Pangilinan family, a YouTuber who has fostered a dedicated following, and now a founder of a run club, Hannah was able to ground theoretical wisdom with practical advice: “It takes 5 seconds to walk up to somebody across the room…The difference between a thriving community and an isolated one is just a few seconds of discomfort. Creating community is uncomfortable, but intentional actions despite the discomfort can open the floodgates of a rich community space.”

Building on the morning momentum, Cetaphil hosted a panel titled, “Being a Girls’ Girl,” featuring Hannah Pangilinan, Senior Brand Manager of Cetaphil, Abe Mationg, and Board-Certified Dermatologist Dr. Ayees Mendoza, moderated by Bianca Gonzalez-Intal. The panel explored how the sharpness of self-criticism and perfectionism that many women face can be softened through community. As strong and accomplished women in their respective fields, the panelists emphasized “uplifting each other over comparison or competition”,  and practicing compassion in both personal and professional spheres.

The afternoon sessions opened with attendees joining one of three interactive breakout sessions, each focused on mind, body, or heart: “Socio-Emotional Learning: ‘The Language of Connection’” (Mind) with Lynn Pinugu and Miguel Bermundo, “Try Together: A Girls Got Game Rugby Mini Camp” (Body) by Globe, and “Building Your Inner Strength through Play” (Heart) with RPsy Lizzie Garilao.

This was followed by “Are the Boys Ok?”, a timely segment on male socialization presented in two parts: a solo talk by Atom Araullo reflecting on his upbringing filled with extracurricular activities and student groups that taught him empathy, responsibility and teamwork, followed by an all-male panel with Atom, comedian Red Ollero, and Gen Z actor and entrepreneur Robbie Jaworski. Drawing from their personal experiences as Millennial and Gen Z men, the panel became a candid and free-flowing exchange, offering insights on toxic gender roles and stereotypes, punctuated with moments of humor that kept the conversation engaging. 

The segment left the audience with pieces of wisdom that resonate across genders. “In this world with so many things to be distracted from, what's important is that you put time and effort into establishing yung foundation mo bilang tao. So identify ano ba yung mga bagay na talagang importante sayo. Ano yung mga bagay na pwede mong bigyan ng direction mo, oras mo. And I think what is important is that you need to explore that for yourself,” Robbie said.

GCash presented an informative segment on “Financial Empowerment and Borderless Work,” with solo talks by creative professional Dana Novales, and entrepreneur and Next Level Assist founder Mia Juan. They shared the realities and ups-and-downs of their freelancing journeys, along with the skills and mindset needed to succeed, like the importance of approaching work from a perspective of “how you can be of service”. The segment concluded with a panel discussion moderated by Iza Calzado, featuring Product Manager Sophia Sison, who walked audiences through how to use GCash’s US Virtual Account.

Cream Silk hosted the final panel, "Filipinas Rising: Shaping Strength, Empowering Communities,” spotlighting mother-daughter internet personality duo Rocio Trillo and Ria Trillo, and TAYO and KidsforKids co-founder Natasha Tanjutco, moderated by veteran host Suzi Entrata-Aberera. What felt like listening in on a fun chikahan between friends and family also unfolded into a rich, intergenerational conversation, where both the youth and the older generation could learn from each other. The panelists spoke about the women who inspire them, how they build connections and create safe spaces where people feel seen and heard, and how they fill their own cup so they can pour into the world, because, as Ria emphasized, “If you're talking about empowering people, you need to empower yourself first.”

Ending the Summit on a high note, actress and comedian Melai Cantiveros-Francisco sat one-on-three with She Talks Asia co-founders Lynn Pinugu, Bianca Gonzalez-Intal, and Iza Calzado to discuss “Embracing the Bisaya Advantage.” In this laughter-filled segment, Melai’s star power truly shone as she captivated the audience with her distinct humour and refreshing authenticity. She encouraged women to speak up and embrace who they are, sharing, “Bilang kababaihan, palakasin natin ang ating mga bunganga. Charing lang… Ang advice ko doon sa na-i-insecure, huwag mong pakinggan ’yong sinasabi ng paligid sa’yo. Mas pakinggan mo ’yong iisipin sa’yo ni Lord.”

This year’s Summit was a beautiful reminder of what can happen when people choose to show up for one another. To date, She Talks Asia has raised over ₱3.1 million for scholarships for girls at Mano Amiga Philippines.

Ten Summits in, and it feels like She Talks Asia is just getting started.

For more information on the She Talks Asia, please follow us on instagram at @shetalksasia, on our subtsack at shetalksasia.substack.com or visit the website on www.shetalksasia.com.