08 March 2026, Seoul — The Philippine Embassy in the Republic of Korea joins the celebration of the 2026 National Women’s Month Celebration (NWMC) and International Women’s Day Celebration in March with the sub-theme “Lead Like the Babaylans, Filipinas!” This theme reaffirms that women’s leadership is a fundamental part of Filipino identity. Just like the Babaylans in pre-colonial Philippines, women today continue to play a vital role in shaping society.

The 2026 National Women’s Month Celebration underscores that women’s full participation is essential to sustainable progress. The celebration demonstrates how Filipino women continue to advance inclusive governance, peacebuilding, and community development locally and across the ASEAN region, emphasizing values-driven, community-centered leadership that advances gender equality and collaborative progress.

To mark International Women’s Day on 08 March 2026, the Consular Section of the Philippine Embassy distributed simple tokens of appreciation to female applicants availing themselves of the Courtesy Lane. The tokens, all in shades of purple—the official color of the National Women’s Month Celebration—include a pouch, a personal alarm keychain, and a card containing the Embassy’s contact details and email address. Women applicants also had the opportunity to avail themselves of a National Women’s Month–inspired photobooth, where they could capture photos in celebration of the occasion while visiting the Embassy.

Her Excellency Bernadette Therese C. Fernandez, Ambassador of the Philippines to the Republic of Korea, joined the activity and personally presented the first token of appreciation to a female applicant.

In support of the National Women’s Month Celebration, the Embassy also launched “Purple Wednesdays,” during which personnel of the Philippine Embassy in Seoul would wear shades of purple every Wednesday throughout the month of March as a symbol of solidarity in promoting women empowerment and gender equality. END