This Sunday, most of us will be observing Mother’s Day, the one special day that we honor the woman who gave us life while risking her own life for nine long months. If she is healthy, the child will most likely turn out physically and mentally well-developed. If she is not healthy, the child’s physical and mental health may be compromised as they grow.
She will be the first mentor, teaching her child how to communicate with the rest of the world, introducing him or her to what is new and strange, fueling the child’s curiosity and encouraging them to explore and understand something they are not familiar with.
It is the mother who will again sacrifice her own health to feed and nurture her infant child, and who will protect that child from outside factors that could endanger them.
It is our mother’s example that we first followed. If she showed us strength and courage, we are more likely to feel safe and follow the same confident path. If she showed weakness and indecisiveness, we may turn out to be timid, fearful, and easily lose our way in the face of challenges and adversity.
It is our mother who taught us how to respect others, our elders, and even those who serve us. Our mother was our first educator, teaching us how to speak, recognize our emotions and reactions, and how to interact with other people we meet as we grow.
More importantly, the level of intelligence of a mother will be one of the biggest factors in a child’s own path to knowledge. If the mother is educated, she will value that education and strive to ensure that her child is taught early and at a level that will ensure they become knowledgeable and productive members of society.
A mother will nurture that thirst for knowledge, knowing full well that in doing so she teaches the child to be independent rather than dependent on her or others.
Unfortunately, if a mother is not educated herself and does not value education, the child already faces a huge obstacle that could negatively affect their future.
It is a mother’s moral values that will help shape a child’s own values as they grow, even as the child will still encounter external influences and eventually make their own choices.
We Filipinos are also lucky that we are part of the Asian culture that puts more value on family unity and interdependence, giving us that shared responsibility of looking out for our elders and the youngest and most vulnerable in the family unit.
Perhaps it can become a burden, but that quality has been so ingrained in us Filipinos, fueling our economy’s lifeline from the remittances sent back by our overseas brothers and sisters to help their families here in the Philippines.
The unfortunate consequence of that sacrifice is the loss of maternal guidance, leaving a younger generation dependent on their peers who are now increasingly becoming the de facto family unit – the family we choose and are not born with.
Thus, this Sunday, truly appreciate the women in our lives who have raised a child, are raising children, and still intend to have children (instead of opting to be just furmommies), because the world’s future depends on mothers who will raise decent human beings.
In search of Asia’s CEOs
Nominations for the Asia CEO Awards 2025 officially opened on May 1, with the grand awards ceremony scheduled to take place on October 14. This year’s theme, “Predict the future by creating it,” underscores the awards’ focus on celebrating leadership excellence in driving innovation and transformational change within the Philippine business landscape.
The deadline for nominations is Aug. 15 at midnight. All nominations must be submitted by this time to be considered. The Asia CEO Awards invites participation from any Philippine-based organization or individual who has made a positive contribution to the economic growth, global competitiveness, and international reputation of the country. Eligible nominees are those who have demonstrated excellence through employment initiatives, business involvement, or by advancing Philippine heritage on the global stage.
The Asia CEO Awards celebrates business leaders who have positively contributed to the country’s economy. Each year, the awards program highlights a central theme that showcases the importance of business leadership, unity and innovation. The 2025 awards season reflects Asia CEO’s steadfast commitment to honoring those who exemplify entrepreneurial spirit, visionary leadership and transformative innovation.
The nomination process for the Asia CEO Awards remains open, transparent and free of charge. Any individual may nominate a candidate, whether they represent an organization or are independent supporters. To ensure the highest standards of fairness and integrity, all nominations undergo a rigorous evaluation process managed by an esteemed Board of Judges, with auditing and validation conducted by the globally recognized professional services firm, PwC.
Participants and interested parties are encouraged to submit their nominations early to ensure compliance with submission guidelines and to maximize visibility throughout the awards process.
The 16 categories are: Service Excellence Company of the Year, Governance Organization of the Year, Young Leader of the Year, IT-BPM Techblazer of the Year, Entrepreneur of the Year, CSR Company of the Year, Wellness Company of the Year, CEO of the Year, SME Company of the Year, Diversity Company of the Year, Technology Company of the Year, Company of the Year, Most Innovative Company of the Year, Sustainability Company of the Year, Woman Leader of the Year and Top Employer of the Year.
