A special day that recognizes, celebrates, honors, inspires and empowers women.

Last year, I was part of the International Women’s Day celebration that our office held for its employees.

The event was filled with inspirational talks, workshops and bonding activities for hundreds of women employees in attendance.

I was awestruck at the smell of confidence, success, sophistication and strength.

We were treated to inspiring stories from women-leaders like Cynthia Mamon, President of Sun Microsystems… Queena Lee-Chua, an award-winning mathematics professor of Ateneo de Manila University… Emily Abrera, Chairwoman of McCann Erickson Philippines. They talked about how they worked hard to get to where they were. We heard about the challenges they overcame as they juggled their work and their obligations to their husbands and kids. They also spoke on the sacrifices they made and how being a woman became both a blessing and an obstacle to achieving their goals.

This year, I am fotunate to be invited again to the Internation Women’s Day celebration on March 8. Together with the thousands of women around the globe employed by our office, I will celebrate being a woman.

Here’s a quote taken out of last year’s event:

Being a woman is neither an excuse nor a reason to fail in the workplace. At the end of the day, you don’t bring your gender to the table; it’s your skills, your attitude, and your competencies that enable you to succeed

If you are a woman… join us. Celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8, 2007.