“And
one day she discovered that
she was fierce, and strong, and full of fire,
and that not even she could hold herself back
because her passion burned brighter
than her fears.”
―
Mark Anthony, The Beautiful Truth
(Note: The article below,
written by Anne A. Jambora, appeared in the Philippine Daily Inquirer's LIFESTYLE.INQ
/18 June 2019. Read more: https://lifestyle.inquirer.net/329927/our-women-are-not-the-influencers-2)
OUR WOMEN ARE NOT THE 'INFLUENCERS'
Passion, commitment, hard work—sometimes with no fanfare, they’ve been at it for a decade or a generation
(Last of two parts)
To cap the celebration of Women’s Month, each of the Lifestyle staff chose living Filipino
women (or groups of women) who have been trying to
make a difference in society, across sectors. Theirs has been a steady,
not necessarily loud, yet significant, achievement through a decade, at
least, or even two generations.
In this day of social-media hype, we admire these women not for their number of followers or the number of likes they garner—many of them aren’t even on social media—but for their passion that hasn’t diminished through time, their commitment to a cause or vision, their ability to inspire others. And in their silent, sometimes unheralded, way, by dint of hard work, they help make the country a better place for the next generation. At least, they try to—one day at a time, no matter the odds.
They’re not the so-called “influencers” anointed by marketing/brand specialists. They’re not the “serial award recipients” chosen to promote a certain brand.
Rather, they toil away to give us and the next generation hope in the Filipino. -TSS
ANN ANGALA
Founder, InThePink
It took Ann Angala 19 years to untangle herself from an abusive marriage.
She endured physical, emotional, mental and psychological torture at the hands of the man who swore to love and protect her. For almost two decades, she was his punching bag—even in front of their five children.
Angala is a strong and smart woman. A graduate of the University of
the Philippines Diliman, she once was the manager of top acts like
Eraserheads, Bamboo, The Dawn, Barbie’s Cradle, Asin. To the outside
world, she had it all together. But deep inside she was depleted.
She met her now ex-husband when she was 24. They had been dating for two months when she got pregnant and decided to get married. She knew her ex had a troubled childhood, but never saw any red flags.
Angala stayed on in the relationship when she sensed that her children were against separation: “I thought there was a possibility that he might change.”
Three years ago, she quietly left for the United States, leaving him for good.
“Our culture is very macho and patriarchal, and religion says that a woman should fully submit to her spouse,” she said. “Taking our culture and religion at face value may create a breeding ground for abuse.”
She founded InThePink, a very informal movement on Facebook, where members, mostly women, post words of encouragement. InThePink aims to create awareness against abuse, its effects on the abused and the people around the abused, and how to get out of that situation.
Someday she hopes to form a proper support group “because emotional healing is a very long process.
“I felt that I had to speak up to help anyone who is in the same situation and wants out but does not have the courage and resources to do so,” she said.
To cap the celebration of Women’s Month, each of the Lifestyle staff chose living Filipino
In this day of social-media hype, we admire these women not for their number of followers or the number of likes they garner—many of them aren’t even on social media—but for their passion that hasn’t diminished through time, their commitment to a cause or vision, their ability to inspire others. And in their silent, sometimes unheralded, way, by dint of hard work, they help make the country a better place for the next generation. At least, they try to—one day at a time, no matter the odds.
They’re not the so-called “influencers” anointed by marketing/brand specialists. They’re not the “serial award recipients” chosen to promote a certain brand.
Rather, they toil away to give us and the next generation hope in the Filipino. -TSS
ANN ANGALA
Founder, InThePink
It took Ann Angala 19 years to untangle herself from an abusive marriage.
She endured physical, emotional, mental and psychological torture at the hands of the man who swore to love and protect her. For almost two decades, she was his punching bag—even in front of their five children.
She met her now ex-husband when she was 24. They had been dating for two months when she got pregnant and decided to get married. She knew her ex had a troubled childhood, but never saw any red flags.
Angala stayed on in the relationship when she sensed that her children were against separation: “I thought there was a possibility that he might change.”
Three years ago, she quietly left for the United States, leaving him for good.
“Our culture is very macho and patriarchal, and religion says that a woman should fully submit to her spouse,” she said. “Taking our culture and religion at face value may create a breeding ground for abuse.”
She founded InThePink, a very informal movement on Facebook, where members, mostly women, post words of encouragement. InThePink aims to create awareness against abuse, its effects on the abused and the people around the abused, and how to get out of that situation.
Someday she hopes to form a proper support group “because emotional healing is a very long process.
“I felt that I had to speak up to help anyone who is in the same situation and wants out but does not have the courage and resources to do so,” she said.
“Freedom
is to live with dignity”
Manal al-Sharif, Daring to Drive: A Saudi Woman's Awakening
Ann is an empowered woman who empowers others.
She loves music. She bikes. She loves the sea. She is daughter and mother.
She is an anti-domestic violence advocate (one among the many causes she staunchly supports).
She is a kindred spirit.
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