In Philippine cinema, there are many empowering female leads that reflect where we are in bannering the ideals of feminism.
This International Women's Month, PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal) pays tribute to nine fearless main characters who went above and beyond their roles as advocates of girl power.
Read also: 20 Pinoy teleserye heroines who embodied women empowerment
Marilou in Barber's Tales (Mga Kuwentong Barbero) (2013)
ACTRESS: Eugene Domingo
Barber's Tales (Mga Kuwentong Barbero) is not based on a true story, but it is set in a real period in Philippine history when Filipinos fought for the abolishment of Martial Law, which lasted from September 23, 1972 to February 25, 1986.
Despite being hesitant at first, the film's lead character Marilou bravely aids in the protesters' exchange of information by allowing them to meet discreetly in her barber shop.
A memorable scene from the movie is Marilou's collaboration with her husband's "whore" and other prostitutes to help the organization in taking down the military.
Aside from being an essential asset to the cause, Marilou also stands the go-to person of troubled women in the village.
Memorable line
"Desisyon ko ang damayan ka. Alam ko ang pinasok ko."
Maya in Birdshot (2016)
ACTRESS: Mary Joy Apostol
In Mikhail Red's dark coming-of-age thriller Birdshot, Mary Joy's character Maya is easily the poster girl for young lasses who enter womanhood in the rural sectors of the Philippines.
Portraying poverty, police brutality, and neglect from the government, Birdshot is able to capture the negative extremes of naivety and gullibility.
Despite being unschooled, Maya shows she can withstand the brutal end of a flawed system that stripped her innocence, with just self-sufficiency and willingness to survive.
Throughout the film, Maya strives to climb out of the rural life, and finally discover the world in her own terms.
Memorable line
"Dugo lang iyan."
Trisha Echevarria in Die Beautiful (2016)
ACTOR: Paolo Ballesteros
One of the most celebrated movies about the LGBTQ+ community is Jun Robles Lana's comedy-drama film Die Beautiful.
Paolo's portrayal of the transgender woman Trisha Echevarria takes audiences to the daily hardships that continue to plague members of the LGBTQ+ community in a predominantly-Catholic country.
Even with the prevailing discrimination and violence Trisha has to put up with, she rises above her adversaries and frees herself from the reins of unjust norms.
Trisha proves that nothing can rain on her parade, as she successfully makes her dreams of strutting her stuff on the runway, and becoming the newly crowned Miss Binibining Gay Pilipinas, a reality.
Memorable line
"Hoy ulan! Sinong tinakot mo? Rarampa pa rin kami sa mga sinehan!"
Babae in Babae at Baril (2019)
ACTRESS: Janine Gutierrez
A representation of sexual harassment becomes all too real in Rae Red's Babae at Baril.
The gun which falls on the hands of the titular role, Babae—a regular working class lady—is a projection of how the two can be easily controlled and manipulated by men.
In a world where most things are designed to the advantage of men, Babae, along with other female characters in the film, are asked to examine what happens when they are pushed to the edge.
She meets a satisfying conclusion to the question, "What can a girl with a gun do?"
We see Babae evolve from a meek, compliant girl to a woman, who is outspoken and finally takes control of her life, after exacting the damage brought to her by her perpetrators.
In the end, Babae learns that with or without a gun, she can stand up for herself.
Memorable line
(To her sexual assailant who said the same line): "Gusto mo ito? Gusto mong iputok ko sa iyo ito?"
Read also: Frankie Pangilinan slams Ben Tulfo for belittling her stand on rape and victim blaming
Commander Liway in Liway (2018)
ACTRESS: Glaiza de Castro
What can be greater than a mother's love for her child?
In the drama Liway, the riveting story of Cecilia Flores-Oebanda, better known as Commander Liway, is recounted in the eyes of her son and the film's director, Dakip "Kip" Oebanda.
Glaiza gives justice to the female lead Commander Liway—who was known as a tough leader of the opposition during the waning months of the Marcos era as well as a doting and selfless mother to Kip.
While Kip is forced to grow up in Camp Delgado—a military camp which doubles as a prison for rebels and convicts—due to his parents' dissent against the administration, Commander Liway gives everything she's got to safeguard him from the trauma of being a political prisoner.
Memorable line
"Hindi naman magtatagal ang kadiliman. Balang araw, mawawala rin ang halimaw sa ating lugar."
Sarah Gonzales in Caregiver (2008)
ACTRESS: Sharon Cuneta
The reality of OFWs (Overseas Filipino Workers) is seen in the eyes of Sharon's character Sarah Gonzales.
Shifting from a fulfilling career in teaching to a humbling job as a caregiver in London in the United Kingdom, has made it toilsome for Sarah to acclimate and get used to dirty work and difficult patients.
In addition to sorting things out with Mr. Morgan, a spiteful patient Sarah eventually becomes dear friends with until his passing,
Sarah also embarks on a long and tough journey of finding herself again as a result of her failing marriage with Teddy.
By the end of the film, Sarah has already mastered the power of making her own judgments and sticking to them no matter the cost.
Memorable line
"I dare because this job means so much to me. You have no idea what I’ve had to give up to get this thankless job... I don't deserve to be treated like this. I care about my job, sir. I care about you."
Nina Manigan in Buy Bust (2018)
ACTRESS; Anne Curtis
A pulse-pounding and suspenseful narrative is delivered by Anne in her performance as special agent Nina Manigan in the action-packed movie Buy Bust.
As it is during the war on drugs, an imbalance of power in the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) tips to the side of corrupt officials who execute extrajudicial killings (EJKs) to earn them more stripes.
Agent Nina, who is trained not to even dare question the dubious and treacherous conduct of her higher-ups, eventually learns to follow her intuition.
She embodies a sharp and forceful female figure who confronts the most theatening obstacles posed by the drug underworld.
Memorable line
"Sir, sa nakita ko, pag nabaril, natutumba agad. Walang adre-adrenaline. Patay kung patay."
Read also: 13 Kick-Ass Female Teleserye Characters
Sister Stella in Sister Stella L. (1984)
ACTRESS: VILMA SANTOS
Women are hardly seen in any positions of authority when looking back at the pages of history books.
It was just years later that historical research revealed the crucial roles women played in the background of major political movements.
Such is the case of Sr. Mary Rosario "Chayong" B. Battung who inspired the film Sister Stella L.—a story about a nonpartisan nun who is later embroiled in an ongoing labor strike, after realizing the government's negligence toward the poor masses.
Who can forget the remarkable performance of Vilma Santos as Sister Stella L. in the eponymous movie title?
Sister Stella L. has become a symbol for people to wake up and act urgently, because indifference or apathy is as good as forsaking one's own country.
Memorable line
"Kung hindi tayo kikilos, sino ang kikilos? At kung hindi ngayon, kailan pa?"
Bobbie Salazar in Four Sisters and a Wedding (2013)
ACTRESS: BEA ALONZO
Contemporary times may indicate that society, as a whole, has long since moved past the mentality that confines women to only be doing housework.
However, its underlying roots are enough to still make the women—who choose their career above anything else—feel guilty.
One example is Bobbie Salazar, played by Bea Alonzo in the family comedy film Four Sisters and a Wedding, who was called "ambisyosa" by her sister Alex Salazar (played by Angel Locsin), for going abroad instead of watching over the family at home.
Bobbie is every young woman out there who proves there is strength in making a tough choice as well as being vulnerable for the people she loves.
Memorable line
"Baka importante sa akin yung career ko. Pero alam mo hindi ko lang ginawa yun para sa sarili ko. I had to go there for us, for our family’s future.
"Nagpakatatag ako. Nagpakatigas ako kasi kailangan ko. Pero hindi dahil matigas ako, wala na akong pakiramdam, na hindi na ako nasasaktan. Nasasaktan din ako."
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