DENOUNCED: Japan and South Korea Agreement to Reconcile Dispute Over Comfort Women During WWII

DENOUNCED: Japan and South Korea Agreement to Reconcile Dispute Over Comfort Women During WWII

Healing at last? More than 70 years after the end of World War II, South Korea and Japan reached a landmark agreement last Monday to resolve their dispute over Korean women who were forced to serve as sex slaves for Japan’s Imperial Army. Recently, hundreds of South Korean protesters joined two surviving comfort women to denounce the agreement. The remaining survivors were not consulted by South Korean officials as they brokered an agreement with Japan. It is still unclear whether the comfort women will actually receive the compensation money. The 70 former comfort women in the Philippines, China, Indonesia, and North Korea, have yet to receive any financial compensation nor a formal apology from the Japanese government. News story from New York Times.

Way to go, Mark! -Zuckerberg's Advice to Young Women: Be the Nerd, Don't Date the Nerd

Way to go, Mark! -Zuckerberg's Advice to Young Women: Be the Nerd, Don't Date the Nerd

New dad Mark Zuckerberg had a clever response to a comment on a recent Facebook post he made about building an artificial intelligence system for his home. On the post, a grandmother commented that girls should "Date the nerd in high school" because he might turn out to be the next Mark Zuckerberg. In response, Zuckerberg replied, "Even better would be to encourage them to *be* the nerd in their school so they can be the next successful inventor."

Though 7/10 employees at Facebook are men, Facebook has recently made mindful, intensified efforts to both garner interest, and recruit women in the technological field.

We will miss you, Philippine Ambassador Willy Gaa (1946-2015)

We will miss you, Philippine Ambassador Willy Gaa (1946-2015)

It is with deepest sadness that we announce the passing of Philippine Ambassador to the U.S. Willy Gaa. He died peacefully after a battle with cancer with his loving wife, Mrs. Erlinda Gaa, at his side.

Gloria T. Caoile, FWN Advisory Board Member, recalls, "Ambassador Gaa brought to Washington, D.C. his consummate diplomacy - getting to know our communities, listening to our issues and working with our concerns! He opened his home to the community where conversations continued in a very comfortable setting. He will always be remembered as one of us!!!"

Ambassador Gaa's legacy will live on through the impact of his 36 years of service to both the Philippines and the Filipino diaspora community. He began his foreign assignment in the Philippine Consulate, San Francisco as Vice Consul then Consul General in New York from 1997-1999 before becoming Manila's envoy to Australia from 2003-2004, China from 2004-2006, and the U.S. in 2006-2009. 

Cecile Gregorio Ascalon (Global FWN100™ '15) Appointed New Head of Pilipino Senior Resource Center in San Francisco

Cecile Gregorio Ascalon (Global FWN100™ '15) Appointed New Head of Pilipino Senior Resource Center in San Francisco

Cecilia "Cecile" Gregorio Ascalon is the new Executive Director of the Pilipino Senior Resource Center, a nonprofit providing social services to Filipinos in the South of Market area in San Francisco. PSRC Services include health, housing and legal services as well as psychological counseling, case management and social engagement. Gregorio Ascalon will create policy, plan strategies, build resources and capacity, manage finances, hire and develop staff in close coordination with the board of directors of the oldest existing social service agency focusing on Filipinos in San Francisco. 

Nina Aguas (Global FWN100™ '13) Joins Top Ranks of Insular Life Philippines

Nina Aguas (Global FWN100™ '13) Joins Top Ranks of Insular Life Philippines

Congratulations Nina Aguas (Global FWN100™ '13) on your new appointment as Chief Executive Officer at Insular Life Philippines. Nina brings into the position over 30 years of experience with major financial institutions primarily Citibank and Australia New Zealand Bank. More recently, she was President and Chief Executive Officer of the Philippine Bank of Communications (PBCOM). She has a proven track record of building new businesses as well as growing large existing businesses in highly competitive and challenging environments, and through difficult economic cycles ranging from the Asian crisis to the recent global financial crisis. News story from Business World Online.

WE ARE THE FILIPINA WOMEN'S NETWORK: Member Spotlight: Zenei Cortez (Global FWN100™ '14) and Catherine Salceda Ileto (Global FWN100™ '15)

zeneicortez

Zenei Triunfo Cortez, president of the California Nurses Association/National Nurse Organizing Committee, is one of 15 fierce women profiled in the "15 APA Women Leader Spotlights Campaign" endorsed by the Filipino Advocates for Justice (FAJ).

Zenei is the first Filipino to be elected president of the California Nurses Association/National Nurse Organizing Committee, with 75,000 members in 40 states, and represents nurses at scores of hospitals, clinics, and home health agencies. She served on CNA’s State Board of Directors and was past vice-president. The CAN/NNOC is a health care union that is predominantly female. They have been a voice for nurses in the workplace but played a national role in winning health coverage for everyone. Zenei is an immigrant and a cancer survivor which informs her passion for social justice.  Her involvement in the union began with her own experience fighting discrimination on the job. Since winning that grievance she dedicated herself to encouraging fellow RNs to speak up for their rights.  The CNA is on the forefront of patients’ rights advocacy having won battles to lower the nurse/patient ratios to insure quality of care.

cathyileto

Cathy Ileto is no stranger to the IT-BPM industry in the Philippines. She was part of the original Team 2010 when the industry’s umbrella organization BPAP (Business Processing Association of the Philippines) was established.

As BPAP's Executive Director for Marketing, Cathy initiated international sell and public relations initiatives that included the launch of the Philippine BPO brand, the BPAP Roadmap 2010, the first trade mission to Australia which brought Australia-launched locators to the Philippines; the first mission to CeBIT Australia, World BPO Forum in New York, and the National Outsourcing Association Conference and Expo in London that produced several "Offshoring of the Year" Awards for the Philippines. Cathy also closed partnerships with key international IT/BPO organizations across the world including NASSCOM of India.

Her passion in championing the Philippine IT BPM industry is unparalleled. Testament to this is a recognition she received from the Philippine Department of Trade and Industry in 2008, for all the initiatives she has launched to promote the Philippines as a Center of Excellence in Outsourcing.

Many of today’s key players in the IT-BPM industry in the Philippines is a significant result of Cathy's leadership.
 

ASK A FILIPINA: #17 DISRUPT Leadership Tip from Dr. Julieta Gabiola (Global FWN100™ '13)

ASK A FILIPINA: #17 DISRUPT Leadership Tip from Dr. Julieta Gabiola (Global FWN100™ '13)

Take the time to reflect every day. It is important to ground ourselves in values and priorities that are aligned with our actions. We must also look at what we have done to make a difference in other people's lives.

- Julieta Gabiola, M.D., Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine and Educator for CARE Faculty at Stanford 

#FilipinaDisrupter

LOOKING FOR HOLIDAY GIFTS? Inspire a young Filipina? For a colleague of Filipina heritage? 1st book on Filipina leadership! "DISRUPT. FILIPINA WOMEN: PROUD. LOUD. LEADING WITHOUT A DOUBT.”

LOOKING FOR HOLIDAY GIFTS? Inspire a young Filipina? For a colleague of Filipina heritage? 1st book on Filipina leadership! "DISRUPT. FILIPINA WOMEN: PROUD. LOUD. LEADING WITHOUT A DOUBT.”

A gift: For the empowered Filipina woman. To motivate young Filipina women. Filipino pride. To illustrate where we've been, where we are and where we're going.

Give the gift of inspiration this holiday season. "Disrupt: Filipina Women. Proud. Loud. Leading without a Doubt." is FWN's first book on Filipina women leadership. 

Available for purchase thru Amazon.com: http://amzn.to/1AybRbV (print edition) or http://amzn.to/1arFT7x (Kindle edition).