Inaugural gala under the company’s #FastForwardHER initiative recognizes leaders and allies advancing women in Philippine technology.
MANDALUYONG CITY, Philippines — Stratpoint Technologies held its inaugural Aurora Women in Tech Awards on June 19, 2026, at the EDSA Shangri-La Hotel, recognizing eight women leaders and allies for advancing women’s careers in the Philippine technology sector.
The gala is the flagship event of Stratpoint’s #FastForwardHER initiative and follows the company’s 2024 commitment as a signatory to the UN Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs). Winners were named across two parallel tracks: the Beacons, recognizing trailblazers from across the wider technology ecosystem, and the Luminaries, honoring leaders within Stratpoint nominated by their own colleagues.
Among the Beacons, the company honored Jennifer “Jek” de Chavez-Hermida, Director of Data Services at Cebu Pacific Air, as Woman Tech Leader – Ecosystem; Michelle Alarcon, President of the Analytics and Artificial Intelligence Association of the Philippines, for Women in Tech – Access & Inclusion; and Dr. Elenita Caparino, Department Head of Information Technology and Data Science at Bulacan State University – Sarmiento Campus, as Woman Tech Educator of the Year.
In the Luminaries track, Stratpoint recognized its own leaders and engineers, each put forward by colleagues the company calls “Stratizens”: Marge Fernando, AI/Labs Business Unit Head, as Woman Tech Leader of the Year; Kristine Joyce Alera-Verances, Quality Assurance Manager, as Emerging Woman Tech Leader; Jemima Villanueva, Data Engineering Manager, as Woman Technologist of Excellence; Janeil Francesca Vino, Product Manager, for Tech Innovation & Transformation; and Sonny Carlos, Cloud and Data Business Unit Head, as Kasangga Ally for Women in Tech.
“Being nominated means that someone you work with saw your impact. They saw the difference you make in the lives of your colleagues, your teams, your organizations, and communities,” Stratpoint CEO MR Dela Cruz said in her welcome remarks. She added that when Stratpoint joined the WEPs, advancing women in technology became “something we actively invest in” rather than an aspiration alone.
Delivering the keynote, UN Women Philippines Country Programme Director Ma. Rosalyn Mesina said the awardees were proof that change is underway. “Progress cannot depend on a few leaders alone — it requires a broader movement across the private sector,” she said. “To the leaders and partners in this room, you have influence not only in your organizations but in the future of work in this country.”
The program also featured cultural performances by the University of Santo Tomas Singers and a live violin performance by Stratpoint software engineer Bryan Matias. Stratpoint Chairman Paco Sandejas closed the evening, framing the awards as a benchmark for continued accountability in the technology sector and noting that diverse perspectives produce stronger organizations and more meaningful innovation.