On August 23 in Cebu, three Filipinas based in Switzerland namely, Anny Misa Hefti (Berne), Edita de Leon (Vaud) and Magnolia Uy (Geneva) were selected as among this year’s 100 Most Influential Filipina Women in the World (Global FWN100) by the Filipina Women’s Network.
Started since 2007, the 100 Most Influential Filipina Women in the World Award seeks to honor Filipina Women who are changing the face of leadership in their local communities and in their adopted countries they now call home.
Ms. Hefti, founder of Samahang Pilipina Bern, is already a two-time Global FWN100 awardee. She was first selected in 2015 under the “Builders” category and now named as one of the “Continuing Influencers” group. Ms. Hefti was instrumental in co-founding several other groups in Switzerland such as the Samahang Pilipina Luzern and Zürich (1985); Babaylan Philippine Women's Network in Europe (1992), Migrant Women's Forum in Bern (1999), and the European Network of Filipinos in Diaspora (2013).
Ms. de Leon, who is the Global Head of Corporate Affairs of Nestle Nutrition, Nestlé S.A., was selected under the “Innovators & Thought Leaders” category. She is being recognized for her social advocacies and pioneering initiatives that help address pressing social needs in the Philippines such as the “Nescafé Plan”. Adopted by the national government as part of its national agricultural development program, Nestle's coffee farming program continues to train thousands of coffee farmers all over the Philippines to help improve farm productivity and yield, thereby helping increase incomes for coffee farmers.
Ms Uy, Commercial Attaché of the Philippine Mission to the World Trade Organisation (WTO), was selected under the “Builders” category. She is being recognized for her contributions in the negotiations and eventual signing of the Philippines’ free trade agreement with the EFTA member countries (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland) and in putting MSMEs in front and center of the World Trade Organization (WTO) agenda, among others.
Vice President Leni Robredo, who was keynote speaker at the 13th Filipina Leadership Global Summit coinciding with the awarding of the 2016 Global FWN100, was also one of the awardees. VP Robredo received the award under the “Nicole” category which honors Filipino women whose words, actions and activism inspire others to act and revolutionize society’s way of understanding traditional beliefs and customs.
The Filipina Women's Network is a San Francisco based non-profit professional organization for women of Philippine ancestry with members worldwide. Established in 2001, the FWN aims to promote the social welfare of Filipina women and advocate for Filipina women's rights.
The three Filipinas based in Switzerland selected as among this year’s 100 most influential Filipina women in the world.
From left-to-right, Anny Misa Hefti of Berne, Edita de Leon of Vaud, and Magnolia Uy of Geneva.
