“As women, it is our role to bring our special skills to the table: the ability to multi-task under high-pressure and stressful environments, understanding situations even when there are things not said, the ability to be compassionate yet firm in order to achieve the desired outcomes, and many others unique skills. All these can help us move towards our goals faster!” says Pammy Olivares Vital, president of Ovialand, Inc. (OLI).
She cited a recent study done by P&A Grant Thornton, which mentioned that women in the Philippines make up 48% of senior management roles in the country, much higher than in other countries. For her, this means that women now have the opportunity to move faster and work towards progress, something that the country needs because we have a long way to go in terms of growth and development. Aside from that, this figure is also a reflection of the respect and appreciation for Filipinas in terms of their ability to strengthen an organization, and eventually, a nation.
Vital believes that Filipinas need to be grateful for this opportunity to thrive in this particular place and time because “sadly, this is not the situation in some parts of the world wherein women are still being deprived of education and equality,” she says.
It is exactly due to this privilege that she feels the need to share with other women around her the tools they can use to advance in their careers and personal life. “Aside from supporting our female employees through training and development and supporting young women in their education, I also aim to raise my daughters to be compassionate and enterprising,” Vital shares.
She is also a mother to two boys whom she is raising to be respectful and appreciative of women and their roles in the home, community, and at work. This is exactly what she celebrates about being a woman. “Every day I am grateful for all my roles—as a wife, mother, leader, daughter, sister, and friend. I aim to do my best in all these roles!”
Doing her best could mean energetically leading her team so they will hit their goals in a positive manner, being home from work early enough to tutor her kids for an exam, or cooking a hearty meal for friends and family. “I enjoy my time the most when I’m within the comforts of my home, a place where I can be with my loved ones,” she shares.
“Women are known to be the homemaker—and that is what I personally enjoy doing! There has been more focus on making our homes a place of peace and relaxation,” Vital says.
In Ovialand, the focus is on the homebuyer, “and so we strive to ensure that our clients feel and know that they are not just purchasing a house but a home,” she adds.