Makati’s “grand dame” puts the spotlight on mothers for March.
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We celebrate female “firsts” in various fields and rightly so. But for too long, March as Women’s Month has been spent comparing women’s professional success with that of men’s. We are told to honor women’s advancement in their careers, but overlook the unpaid work that mothers have done for centuries.
In fact, the history of motherhood is integral to the history of women in the Philippines. Yet honoring motherhood has been relegated to one day in May when we celebrate Mother’s Day. This only undermines the idea that mothering is important work that has contributed to society via infant health, childhood development, education, and not to mention the existence of the Filipino male.
Working mothers
“Just because we do the work of raising children out of love and a sense of duty doesn’t mean that it isn’t real, hard work,” says Loleth So, The Peninsula Manila’s director of marketing, herself the mother of eight-year-old Mika. She has also had to take on the additional role of caregiver after her husband Mike suffered a debilitating stroke in 2015.
So adds that their hotel wouldn’t be able to meet any of their standards or achieve any of their goals without their team members who work and mother at the same time.
The Peninsula Manila have had many working mothers on staff over the years. There’s Human Resources Learning and Development Manager Venice Ayroso whose five-year-old son Zeb is a precocious reader. Another is Marianne Garces whose job as Corporate Sales Manager does not prevent her from spending time with her four-year-old daughter Fiona, imparting skills relevant to her future academic success.
And there’s Angel Magbanua who, after leaving The Peninsula, moved to the Asian Development Bank before deciding to be a full-time mother to her two boys Alonso and Enzo. She sees to it that they see mothering as work to be valued, and how much thought and effort are involved.
Priceless contributions
Women can “work” and women can “mother” without feeling like they have to choose which identity is more important.
In fact, a report by Oxfam in January 2020 calculated that women globally would have made $10.8 trillion dollars in 2019 if they earned minimum wage for their unpaid work that includes routine housework, child care, shopping for household items, tending to elderly relatives, and other caregiving work that is never acknowledged by society. That’s a lot of money. Yet society accepts and expects mothers to work for free.
The Peninsula Manila begs to differ.
In honor of all the work that mothers have been doing all this time, The Peninsula Manila has created a special room package from March 1 to 31.
Called Celebrate HERstory: Mothers Rule this Women’s Month of March room package, the deal has room rates starting at P8,650 inclusive of taxes. This is for a Deluxe Room with Antigen Tests for two that includes breakfast, a complimentary lunch or dinner for one in Escolta, complimentary manicure and pedicure for one at Le Maquillage, and discounts for spa services.
For inquiries or more information, call +63 (2) 8887 2888 (trunk line), or visit peninsula.com.
