Filipina Women’s Network launches book «Disrupt 5.0» in London

By Gene Alcantara

London - The San Francisco-based Foundation for Filipina Women’s Network (FWN) gathered in London at end March 2025 to launch their fifth volume of Disrupt, their book collection of leadership essays by outstanding Filipina women around the world. 

At the launch of Discord 5.0, the fifth book of the leadership series by the Filipina Women's Network at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London. Standing l-r, John Arceno, Gene Alcantara, Darcey Dias, Iryna Paloma Garcia, Maria Benel Corazon G Se (USA) and FWN Ambassador Chair, Kevin Bonavia MP, Donna Avellana Kunzler (Switzerland), Dr Cristina Martinez-Juan, Marizel Rojas (Austria), Mary Arceno, Laarni San Juan (USA), Crystal Dias.  Seated l-r, Rowena Romulo, Bernadette Schluetter (Belgium/UK), Cllr Lotis Bautista, FWN Founder and CEO Marily Mondejar (USA), Cllr Myla Arceno, Consul General Rhenita A Rodriguez. [Photo by Elle Patootie]

“We are disrupting the community, we are disrupting corporate life and that’s what we do, but positively disrupting,” FWN Founder and CEO, Marily Mondejar told Pinoy Portal Europe (PPE) on what FWN set out to do with releasing its “Disrupt” book volumes.

Kevin Bonavia, the MP for Stevenage and an official in the Labour Government, was very complimentary about the FWN and Disrupt 5.0, urging to “celebrate positive disruption, intersectional leadership and the strength of Filipina women and the strong example set by Ambassador Myla Arceno.”

Stevenage Member of Parliament and Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Attorney General’s Office Kevin Bonavia speaks at the launch. [Photo by Elle Patootie]

He also added that the book speaks of the “social obligation we all have to help others and it does so through the lens of some of the most inspiring women that heeded that call to action and many are here with us today.”

For her part, Consul General Rhenita Rodriguez from the Philippine Embassy in London said that the occasion is “special not only for the FWN but also for all of us who recognise and celebrate the remarkable contributions of Filipina women leaders across the globe.”

She also added that the School for Oriental and Asian Studies (SOAS) is a «fitting venue for such an important event as it serves as a bridge between cultures, perspectives, and histories» and that the book “speaks to the growing strength, influence and impact of Filipino women who are reshaping leadership paradigms globally.”

SOAS hosts a Philipine studies programme headed by Dr Cristina Juan who hoped “that we can celebrate together the many ways Filipino women continue to shape our world.”

The FWN programme started with a courtesy call by FWN to HE Ambassador Teodoro Locsin at the Philippine Embassy, followed by a visit to the House of Lords hosted by Baroness Sharon Taylor of Stevenage.

This was then followed by an introduction by the FWN Founder and CEO, Marily Mondejar, then inspiring talks by guest speakers Consul General Rhenita Rodriguez, Member of Parliament for Stevenage and Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Attorney General’s Office Kevin Bonavia, and Cllr Lotis Bautista of London Kings Cross. 

Cllr Bautista proudly noted that the Philippine national hero Dr Jose Rizal was in her constituency in the late 19th century.

FWN's magazine issued between issues of the Disrupt books. [Photo by Elle Patootie]

Several readers and authors including Cllr Myla Arceno, Rowena Romulo, Crystal Dias, Donna Avellana Kunzler (Switzerland), Sheilani Cruz Alix, Bernadette Schluetter (Belgium/UK), Marizel Rojas (Austria), Laarni San Juan (USA), Nick Paul Fruto, Iryna Paloma Garcia, Marie Maramba, Maria Benel Corazon G Se (USA), Darcey Dias, Christian Estrada, Dr Cristina Martinez-Juan, Marily Mondejar (USA), and Consul General Rhenita A Rodriguez  read extracts from chapters from the first four volumes of Disrupt, culminating in readings from the latest volume. 

The Disrupt books, available on Amazon, contain contributions from FWN’s 100 Most Influential Filipina Women in the World with moving stories about leader identity, power and influence, cultural adjustments to success and victories over domestic violence, incarceration, discrimination and harassment. 

FWN has published 5 leadership books in the Disrupt series, comprising the experience and thoughts of awardees, with the fifth book celebrating Filipina Women:  Leading with Intersectionality. [Photo by Elle Patootie]

The latest Disrupt 5.0 has the theme of Filipina Women:  Leading with Intersectionality, which is not just about diversity, but about “leveraging the unique strengths that come from diverse experiences to drive tangible business outcomes” and encourages organisations “to embrace disruption not as a threat but as a catalyst for growth and innovation.”

The readings included a tribute extract, read by Marie Maramba from the chapter by the late Cllr Cynthia Alcantara Barker, the first ever elected Filipina councillor and later mayor of Hertfordshire. She was also an FWN awardee in 2017 but passed away in 2020 at the height of the pandemic.

Held at the Khalil Theatre, School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London, the launching begun with drinks and refreshments, including ube pandesal, to enable the visiting dignitaries to network and get to know the Filipino community and one another.  

FWN Ambassador to the UK and Europe

The evening culminated in a ceremony to confirm Cllr Arceno, former Mayor of Stevenage, as FWN Ambassador to UK and Europe (Austria, Ireland, Norway, Netherlands and Switzerland).  

Stevenage Councillor and former Mayor Myla Arceno accepts her appointment as FWN's Ambassador to the United Kingdom and member countries of Europe. [Photo by Elle Patootie]

In accepting the honour, she said, "It is not just a title but a big responsibility. I will not be able to do this without my family, my community and the society that moulded me from Pulupandan to Stevenage, and wherever will I be."

Arceno also vowed "to create space, amplify voices, and build bridges that empower Filipina women — not only in the UK, but around the world."

“I think it is the beginning of more Filipino British women getting involved in the community, running for office, aiming for the C-suite and really just accomplishing for our community so that we develop our voice,” Mondejar added.

She also said the FWN awardees “need to give back» as this is part of their legacy and that she tells them to «Femtor our women, bring along someone so they can experience your success.”

FemtorMatch, FWN´s trademarked name for mentoring, is their strategy to develop the next generation of Filipina women leaders.  C-suite is the top level in the corporate world and the ultimate target of FWN for its members.

FWN Founder and CEO Marily Mondejar talks about how FWN members from opposing parties are able to talk to each other. [Photo by Gene Alcantara]

Mondejar also encourages “thoughtful discussion, reasonable discussions and solutions or alternatives and our own members” and that she has “brought  solutions even if they belong to another party.»

“We have members from opposing parties but we are able to talk to each other, and discuss issues together, without denigrating, nor putting down each other.  We encourage political discussions, but no yelling, no screaming.  It’s really listening to each other’s point of view,» she added.

FWN is a foundation established in the USA to seek the Most Influential Filipina Women Awardees, and aims to increase the influence of Filipina women as leaders and policy makers.  To date, it has identified awardees in 33 countries, and their thoughts are published in the form of Disrupt volumes.

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