The Foundation for Filipina Women’s Network (FWN) is the vanguard for the Most Influential Filipina Women Awardees - a distinguished assembly of leaders who have left indelible marks on the global stage. These women hail from 34 countries, each chosen through a rigorous global search for their exceptional contributions and enduring impact in the public and private sectors. Their stories are about success and transformation, influencing industry sectors and local communities. Nominated by their peers for their extraordinary achievements, these awardees are then meticulously selected by a seasoned panel comprising previous year's laureates, ensuring a legacy of excellence that transcends borders and generations. The FWN celebrates these trailblazers and creates a platform for their collective power to inspire and catalyze change, making it a beacon for Filipina leadership and innovation worldwide.

From Marily Mondejar, FWN Founder:

I founded FWN in 2001 with a group of Filipina women leaders for two reasons:

1)    In my corporate world then, I did not find Filipina women in managerial positions I could relate to; and

2)    After a 2001 internet search for the word "Filipina," the results returned millions of hits as "mail-order brides, sluts, exotic, sexy, and submissive wives." FWN launched the Shape the Filipina Image Campaign to highlight Filipina women's leadership roles and economic contributions in the public and private sectors to balance the internet results..

FWN is committed to leveraging its talent pool of accomplished Filipina women by having them commit to the following:

1)   “Pay forward” by developing a short-term project that will benefit women in their respective geographic locations where they live, raise their children, and build a career. Here are the countries where these projects are ongoing. Read about their projects in the Global Pitch Forum.

2)    FemtorMatch: Femtor (female mentors) a young Filipina to help develop our next generation leaders

3)    Write their leadership journeys which FWN publishes in the DISRUPT Leadership Book Series. We now have four books – 140 authors (35 in each book) from 16 countries. The 5th book will be launched at the #FWNSummit24 in October 2024.

FWN seeks to increase the influence of Filipina women as leaders and policymakers on economic, social justice, and women’s rights in the private and public sectors. FWN campaigns to increase the odds that more Filipina women advance to the C-suite influential positions in companies worldwide.

With members in 34 countries, FWN provides INFLUENCE. KNOWLEDGE. ACCESS.

FWN convenes programs and activities that enhance public perceptions of Filipina women's capacities to lead, build the Filipina women community's pipeline of qualified leaders, and help Filipina women achieve previously unimaginable levels of performance in the public and private sectors, breaking barriers that make it difficult or impossible to succeed.

Our Priority Issues

1. Influence Filipina popular culture.

2. Eliminate all forms of discrimination against Filipina women and girls.

3. Appoint and elect Filipina women to positions of leadership.

4. Economic independence in housing, wages, and pay equity for equal work.

5. Access to public services in education, immigration, health care, child care, senior services, and transportation.

6. Reproductive freedom.

7. Elimination of violence against women and girls.

INFLUENCE

By harnessing the collective strength of FWN members, we create a formidable force—keeping Filipina women’s interests at the heart of the policy conversations locally and overseas. We shape the messaging to seize opportunities and tackle barriers to growth.

KNOWLEDGE

With the largest and most distinguished cohort worldwide - the crème de la crème of the professional Filipina women in business and industry worldwide, FWN provides members the content, credibility, and community with a wealth of cross-sector expertise to help their companies and careers grow – practical support and advice on policy changes and the issues that impact business and career success.

ACCESS

Our unrivaled networks enable members to meet and hear from senior business and political leaders, potential customers, and suppliers. FFWN’s local, national and international meetings and events put members in touch with each other to share ideas, experiences, and new market opportunities – providing them with the connections they need to compete and prosper.

Click to view the organizations represented by the members of FFWN.

Annual Filipina Leadership Global Summit

The annual Filipina Leadership Global Summit brings together some of the top and most influential Filipina women business owners and professionals from around the globe to create a networking pipeline thru reciprocal relationships. The speakers chosen for the summit are all at the top of their game sharing their experiences and insights on how they became successful, how they turned their success into significant work and what it means to be an Influential Woman in today’s business world. Best opportunity to meet awesome FWN members and awardees to expand global reach and the FWN sisterhood. It is the leading forum of its kind in the Filipina global community which inspires a renewed understanding of the Filipino culture’s emerging global influence as a world community.

The summit raises funds for FFWN’s programs that foster the Filipina women’s socio-economic, political and educational advancement in addition to raising awareness of FFWN’s pipeline development of qualified next-generation leaders to increase the odds that many Filipina women will rise to the “president” position.

Global FWN100™ Awards

The election of the 100 Most Influential Filipina Women in the World™ is the highlight of the Filipina Summit.

The 100 Most Influential Filipina Women in the World Award™ honors Filipina Women who are changing the face of leadership in their local communities and in their adopted countries they now call home.

The Global FWN100™ recognizes those who have reached status for outstanding work in their respective fields and who are recognized for their leadership and achievements in the global workplace and their local communities. 

FWN Chapter Development

FFWN Los Angeles Chapter is on "Chapter In-Formation" status currently.

To review how to start a chapter, click here

FEMtorMatch™

FFWN's strategy for developing next-generation Filipina leaders through local and global partnerships between female mentors, FEMtors™, and female mentees, FEMtees™.

FEMtorMatch™ provides structured one-on-one mentoring that harnesses the power of the Internet to broaden and deepen the reach of traditional mentoring. Thus, both FEMtors™ and FEMtees™ can reside anywhere in the world. Trained FEMtors™ and screened FEMtees™ are matched in one-on-one partnerships and agree to communicate at least bi-weekly through a secure FFWN FEMtorMatch™ website.

FFWN's FEMtorMatch™ Competencies list the 94 key areas of competencies and 810 skills that enable Filipina leaders and professionals to do successful work anywhere in the global workplace. Competencies are defined as knowledge, skills, abilities, behaviors, accomplishments, traits, and characteristics.

Filipina Leadership Book Series

Pinay Speed Femtoring

Filipina Global Leadership Competencies Workshops

Filipina Women Against Violence Campaign

One Billion Rising and The Vagina Monologues productions in collaboration with V-Day.

CourtWatch

Filipina Women Who Could Be President Fellowship

A selective part-time leadership development program for future politicians, entrepreneurs, senior and executive leaders. Based on established leadership competencies which include cohort training, coaching, and femtoring, the program gives Filipina women leaders the skillsets and networks they need to develop and manage highly effective campaigns and organizations in the private and public sectors.

Publications

• FFWN Magazine

• V-Dairies: Anti-Violence Resource Guide

• Filipina Leadership Series: DISRUPT: Proud. Loud. Leading Without A Doubt

Professional Development

The Professional Development Series builds on the 12 Life Areas of Empowerment which an individual confronts at each stage of adulthood. The program is best appreciated when participants take the Life Empowerment Overview. It provides a practical foundation for career pathing and life planning.

Board and Commissions Appointments

Filipinas in Motion Circles

Political Education

FFWN Internship

FFWN supports the development of future leaders by accepting interns who will receive hands-on experience with our programs and activities and help build the Filipina community’s pipeline of qualified leaders. 

The Foundation for Filipina Women’s Network’s (FFWN) annual Filipina Leadership Global Summit brings together Filipina women global leaders, influencers, thinkers and public figures for discussions, learning journeys, “kwentuhan strategies” on how to succeed as multi-cultural professionals and private chats to ignite cooperation through public and private partnerships. The high powered gathering is a vital part of FFWN’s Pinay Power 2020 Mission:  A Filipina leader in every sector of the economy. It is the leading forum of its kind in the Filipina global community which inspires a renewed understanding of the Filipino culture’s emerging influence as a community.

The summit is FFWN's signature fundraiser with proceeds funding FFWN’s programs that foster the Filipina women’s socio-economic, political and educational advancement in addition to raising awareness of FFWN’s pipeline development of qualified next-generation leaders to increase the odds that some will rise to the “president” position.

The Summit convenes sessions, presentations, and Learning Journeys to confront issues and barriers that affect the economic trade and investment opportunities of Filipina women business owners and the careers of Filipina professionals in the U.S. and countries with a high population of Filipina women.

The Summit includes exclusive policy briefings and office visits with key legislators whose policies impact the Filipino community. Attendees have opportunities to network with legislators, elected and appointed officials, state and local agency representatives, API business owners, and community leaders at the Mayors' Salo Salo Soireé and the Global FFWN100™ Awards and Gala.

The highlight of the Summit is the announcement of Global FFWN100™ Awardees at the Awards Ceremony and Gala.

SAVE THE DATES FOR UPCOMING SUMMITS. PLAN AHEAD.

• 2018 – 15th Summit: London, UK: 12-17 September

• 2019 – 16th Summit: Paris, France: 28 October-02 November

• 2021 – 17th Summit: San Francisco, California: 26-30 September “Pinay Power 2021 Global FWN100™ Awardees Reunion”

More at www.FilipinaSummit.org where you can also find past Summit keynotes and schedule archives.

The Most Influential Filipina Women in the World Award™ recognizes Filipina women who are influencing the face of leadership in the global workplace, having reached status for outstanding work in their respective fields and are recognized for their leadership, achievement and contributions to society, femtorship and legacy.

The awardees are asked to femtor a young Filipina especially those returning to the workplace adversely affected by the 2020 global pandemic through our robust FEMtorMatch program and bring her to the Filipina Summit. The highlight of the summit is the gathering of the Global FWN100™ Awardees from around the world and the authors of the first book on Filipina leadership, DISRUPT. Filipina Women: Proud. Loud. Leading Without A Doubt. 

The awardees are asked to femtor a young Pinay through the FEMtorMatch initiative and sponsor her to the annual Filipina Summit. More info: http://www.filipinawomensnetwork.org/fwn100

To view the list of FFWN100™ Awardees, go to http://www.filipinawomensnetwork.org/fwn100