"I really feel that a lot of women don't want to do something until they are a 100-percent sure that they can do the job. There's this fear that we would fail or we are not good enough and that is uniquely for women, but (women) should not be afraid of failure, juts keep pushing your boundaries and positive," says Michelle Baltazar, executive director - media at Rainmaker Group and editor-in-chief of Money Magazine, Australia’s longest-running finance magazine.
The author, finance journalist and editor, who hails from Leyte, understood the value of finance market business as a young kid having experienced doing mini-business selling chips and bubble gum at school and eventually after graduating from the University of Sydney, took her first job at a business magazine realising that business journalism is something she would like to pursue.
Michelle (centre) hosting a round-table on Financial Technology and the future of banking and financial advice Source: Supplied
Women of today are financially independent
Financial independence is one issue that women continue to face. But, how can one be independent financially?
In her almost two decades in finance journalism, Ms Baltazar defines "financial independence is different for different people and I think for migrants, financial independence is also different for us, coz' usually for us, (for many Filipinos), our financial independence ay kasama ang ating pamilya (our families are included) so parang times four ang pinag-iipunan natin ((it looks like we save up times four)," and adds, "for me, before financial independence, it should be financial confidence muna, just to understand kung ano nga ba 'yung mga opportunities na puwede mong i-exploit".
But for women, in particular migrant women, financial independence would be doubly harder. Taking into account that when a woman gives birth, it seems automatic that for a year you will to take a leave of absence from work. Inequalities at work and pay gap are other issues that may affect women's financial independence. "In women's career, you also have to fight the glass ceiling where more than likely men get promoted faster than women," says finance journalist Michelle Baltazar.
Empowered women keep their cultural connection
"Embracing your identity and rich heritage is part of the formula of my success or achievement, because there's so many great traits about being a Filipino" points out the Australian Filipina magazine founder giving credit the traits and resilience of Filipinos that has "driven me to be involved in the community and if I can make a difference or if I can inspire just one Filipina to embrace her identity and be proud of it then I would feel that it's a mission accomplish for me".
Michelle Baltazar (right) with singer/actor Marcus Rivera and Miss Philippines Australia 2015 Rica Alido Sey Source: Supplied
Women of the 21st century are "not afraid of failure"
Although there's still a long way to go to truly say gender equality exists as there are still packets of discrimination, living is the 21st century is "way better compared to the years of Jane Austin where women didn't have rights to vote or women didn't have access to education," says the Filipino-Australian journalist.
But as the new era becomes so overwhelming, so demanding and with Instagram and Facebook and other social media platforms, there's so much pressure to be perfect, so "it's okay to fail, it's okay to cry, it's okay to be vulnerable... so being a woman in the 21st century is exciting, it has its challenges but the opportunities far outweigh the hardships and struggles".
Taking advantage of the opportunities for self-development and staying relatively healthy is significantly beneficial for women of today. "Be healthy, hopefully wealthy and wise in the 21st century and maybe sometimes take time to do that, because life is moving so fast we forget to really stop and think, what is it that I want to do," ends Ms Baltazar.
Michelle (middle) at the 2019 Best of the Best Awards in Sydney Source: Supplied
