PAL CELEBRATES INFLUENTIAL AND INSPIRING WOMEN
Equality and Empowerment in the Workplace
(By Cheq Navarro – The PALiner July/August 2023 Issue)
This year’s International Women’s Day theme was “Accelerating Equality & Empowerment: How Women’s Leadership & Collective Action Can Make a Difference”. This is what we celebrated during our month-long initiative for the International Women’s Month last March.
Recognizing the amazing women who have made great strides and broken barriers in their respective roles, the PAL Family awarded three outstanding women for the honor of being the “PAL and PALex Most Inspiring and Influential Woman” for 2023. These women serve as an inspiration to all of us, and we believe their influence will continue to be felt in the years to come.
One such influential and inspiring woman is Maria Dolores Castillo, who has been a driving force in the Cabin Services team for over 10 years now. Mia started as a flight attendant and became a Cabin Services Manager through her hard work, dedication, and love for her job. A 2018 Assistant Manager of the Year STAR Awards winner for PAL, she is known for her sincerity, genuine care, Buong Pusong Alaga, and malasakit; and she is always willing to mentor and support the cabin crew members under her care.
As shared by one of her team members: “Mia is a true leader who goes way above and beyond her duty as a CSM. Always willing to give encouragement and bring positivity in a very difficult situation. Everyone should have a Mama Mia in their lives. A true blessing to call her my CSM.” This is just one testament among many. Surely, Mia’s leadership has inspired other women to pursue their dreams and strive for excellence in their careers.
Michelle Mariano is another influential and inspiring woman in our organization. She is an Associate Standards Manager from the Flight Technical, Standards and Training Division under the Operations Department. Mishy is dedicated to creating a work environment that is positive, inclusive and welcoming for all her colleagues. In her own little and big ways, Mishy has made her mark through the colleagues in PALex she has worked with, mentored, and helped over the years.
A colleague had only praises for Mishy: “In a short time, I have seen and realized how amazing Ms. Mishy is as a woman. I have always admired strong and devoted women, and Ms. Mishy is one of them. I have been working closely with her during the IOSA (IATA Operational Safety Audit process), and I’ve seen how meticulous and passionate she is in her job. She is also good at working with people, which is very admirable. In the future, I want to be like her. She’s my ‘influencer’ in PALex.”
To round up our list of women leader awardees, we must duly recognize the extraordinary work of Capt. Amorelle Martinez, the Chief Pilot of Airbus Division, PAL Express Flight Operations Capt. Amor has also shattered the proverbial glass ceiling by becoming the first female Chief Pilot of an Asian airline, making Philippine and Asian aviation history. She is a champion of women empowerment, and her leadership has been instrumental in driving her PALex team towards greater success.
Capt. Amor’s influence has reached far beyond the boundaries of our organization: She has become an advocate for women empowerment and leadership in the aviation industry.
Mia, Capt. Amor and Mishy were chosen through an online survey where more than 500 PAL and PALex employees were asked to nominate the most inspiring and influential women in the PAL Group. Department. She was recognized as the Captain of the Year for PAL Express during the 2017 STAR Awards.
To celebrate these three amazing women and their accomplishments, as shared and recognized by their peers, a small ceremony was dedicated to honor them during the onsite flag ceremony on April 3 at R1 Hangar, Nichols. Among the PAL and PALex colleagues who attended were PAL President and COO Capt. Stanley Ng and PALex President Rabbi Vincent Ang. The two presidents gave each awardee a plaque and a wellness gift certificate.
Celebrating women means recognizing and appreciating their contributions that inspire and influence others in our organization. Their leadership and achievements serve as a guiding light for all men and women seeking to make their marks in their respective roles.