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THE TEN ADVOCATES OF THE FREE 4 ALL CAMPAIGN

CYNTHIA AYALA ALEXANDER
Previously described as a “songstress of compassion, understanding, spirituality and love,” Cynthia writes, arranges, and performs her own songs, and plays her own instruments, namely: octavina and acoustic guitars, fretless and electric bass, percussion and synths. Cynthia is a feminist in her own right. In her own words, “A woman empowers herself by baring herself out to the world. I am baring myself out, too, through music. The fulfillment is making something out of nothing, like a potent witches’ brew.”

LINA BACALANDO
Lina is a highly respected leader in the community. Her training as a leader began eight years ago when she was elected president of MOTHER, an organisation working for the empowerment of grassroots women. She is also president of PILAKK, a federation of grassroots women and youth organisations. Lina speaks out in defense of reproductive health and sexual rights for grassroots women with other women, men and even politicians. Lina is the proud mother of three children.

SYLVIA ESTRADA-CLAUDIO
Guy is a psychologist with multiple personalities. By that we mean she is a woman who is everywhere. Guy is teaching graduate students in U.P.; working on reproductive health issues with urban poor communities; serving as board member of women’s networks locally, regionally & internationally; hosting a radio program on sexuality; writing; researching; counseling; rallying; you name it, Guy is most probably involved in it. But she also ensures she has quality time for her family, coffee time with her friends, and regular time in the gym. Dr. Sylvia Estrada-Claudio is diverse.

CHIN CHIN GUTIERREZ
A truly talented woman, Chin Chin is an illuminating model, musical artist, record producer, multi-awarded movie and TV actress, and passionate environmentalist. She was dubbed by TIME magazine as one of Asia’s heroes in 2003 for her work on environmental issues. Scrap the mining act is her call and will support any effort towards attaining this.

AURORA JAVATE-DE DIOS
Oyie is a remarkable combination of scholarship and activism, deftly balancing work in the academe, government and civil society—all in the interests of women. The immediate past chair of the National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women and the former Dean of Miriam College, she currently serves as the executive director of the Coalition against Trafficking in Women-Asia Pacific and is an associate of the Women and Gender Institute. Oyie is multi-awarded both locally and abroad for her advocacies on women’s rights and distils these rich experiences into lively and inspiring lectures for her undergrad and graduate students in International Studies at Miriam.

RINA JIMENEZ-DAVID
Rina is a staunch advocate of gender equality and women’s health and rights. Her advocacy of women’s rights and empowerment stems from her involvement, for almost two decades, in the national women’s group PILIPINA. She is also the founding convenor of ABANSE! Pinay, a national women’s political movement and party list organisation. She is best known to feminists and non-feminists for her regular column, “At Large” in the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

MAVIC LEE
Mavic’s expertise as a homemaker is legendary, at least to her family and circle of friends. She has two sons, ages 15 & 14, a daughter aged 10 and a Korean husband who is a successful businessman. Her husband believes he owes much of his success to her and the perfect tandem they make. I think the best way to describe Mavic is through the eyes of her children who said, “Mommy is always certain of what she does, she’s open-minded, determined and gets things done fast. She’s really good at debates too.”

ERIKA SALES
Erika is the current president of Miriam College’s student council, a co-founder of the first feminist student organization in Miriam, and a member of various civic organisations. Because of her student activism and academic excellence, Erika has been hand picked to participate in various conferences and workshops here in the Philippines and abroad. When she is not busy with schoolwork or with responsibilities as student leader, Erika takes pleasure in reading, writing, performing and speaking in public. She also loves to travel and meet different peoples of different cultures.

OLIVE TRIPON
Olive is a journalist by profession and a feminist/activist at heart. She begun her professional career in the advertising world, seduced by its better pay, glamour and excitement, but later left this to fulfill her dream of being a housewife. Feminism slowly grew into her through her various readings and interactions with women from all sectors. From organising kapihans against the dictatorship, she became more involved with the women’s movement through media work. Also a trainor, a writer, an editor, and a poet, this grandmother of one says she likes to collect recipes but not to cook.

RIZA FAITH YBAÑEZ
Ritchie is a lawyer for one of the largest corporate law firms in the Philippines. But Ritchie has always kept one foot in NGO work assisting a range of organisations from health groups to human rights organisations, addressing sexuality issues to trade and investment policies and deriving a fresh analysis. She is notorious for her deep philosophical thinking and gift of tongue, clearly evident when she says “I want to live before I die and to love before the sun rises.”