Charting Filipina Legacy: Revisiting Billboard Philippines’ Women In Music

In the Philippines, our music scene has always been surrounded by countless powerful and impressive women — all of whom have propelled Filipino talent to both the local and global stage.

Within our very own local industry, we have seen a plethora of female musicians who have become some of the most renowned and unforgettable performers to have graced stages worldwide over the past few decades, while there have also been numerous women working behind the scenes who have silently shaped and molded the landscape of the Philippine music scene today. Whether it’s chart-topping vocalists and genre-defining artists, or executives, managers, and advocates whose work ensures that Filipino music continues to thrive, it’s an undeniable fact that all of their contributions have long deserved sustained recognition.

And this is precisely where the Billboard Philippines Women in Music have found their purpose.

Since its inaugural iteration in 2024, the Billboard Philippines Women in Music marked a historic moment for OPM. Rather than being a mere celebration of success, such an event has served as a collective acknowledgment of the women whose artistry, influence, and leadership have defined generations of Filipino music — and continue to do so. Each of these celebrations stood out as a night that honored legacy, embracing the present and future, while further bringing together icons, innovators, and rising stars closer under one stage.

At the center of the first iteration was pop superstar Sarah Geronimo, who was named the event’s first-ever Woman of the Year. Her recognition symbolized not only her decades-long excellence and adaptability but also her role as a cultural touchstone whose music continues to resonate across audiences. Yet aside from Geronimo’s enduring influence, the evening also paid tribute to trailblazers who helped to lay the foundation for today’s industry, such as the late but great Pilita Corrales, honored with the Icon Award, and Regine Velasquez-Alcasid, who received the Powerhouse Award, each representing eras of excellence that shaped Filipino musical identity.

But that celebration extended beyond legends, recognizing Moira Dela Torre as Hitmaker of the Year, acknowledging her deeply personal songwriting and emotional resonance with listeners, while the avant-garde ena mori received the Rulebreaker Award for pushing sonic and creative boundaries. Fan-voted honors further emphasized the community’s role in uplifting women in music, with Asia’s Phoenix Morissette earning the People’s Choice Award and Belle Mariano herself winning the Listeners’ Choice Award for her track, “Bugambilya.” And who could forget the moment wherein global P-pop phenomenon BINI were named as the industry’s Rising Stars, signaling the arrival of a new generation of Filipina performers reshaping pop culture while finding them right at the beginning of their breakthrough on the global stage?

Though if the first year focused on celebrating women at the forefront of the stage, Billboard Philippines Women in Music returned in 2025 with a bold expansion of its vision. Branded as Women in Music: The Executive Edition, the second iteration widened the spotlight to include the women who operate behind the scenes — especially those whose leadership, strategy, and advocacy make artistic success possible.

Held at The Manila Peninsula in Makati, the 2025 event underscored how the Philippine music industry functions as an ecosystem. Following the abundance of career milestones over the past year, BINI returned to the spotlight, this time being named as Women of the Year, marking a full-circle moment that reflected their meteoric rise and growing influence both locally and internationally.

Equally significant was the recognition of industry leaders whose work often goes unseen but remains essential, with Universal Records’ Kathleen Dy-Go being honored as OPM Vanguard Executive of the Year for her steadfast leadership in championing Filipino artists, while Sony Music Philippines’ Roslyn Reyes-Pineda received Industry and Record Label Executive of the Year for her decades-long contributions to artist development and music business growth. Live Nation Philippines’ very own Rhiza Pascua was named Management, Concerts, and Live Entertainment Executive of the Year, highlighting her role in shaping live music experiences, while Believe Music’s Georgette Tengco earned Music Distribution Executive of the Year for expanding the reach of OPM across numerous platforms.

The Executive Edition also recognized specialized leadership through Atty. Marivic Benedicto of the Philippine Association of the Recording Industry (PARI), awarded Music Rights Executive of the Year for advocating artists’ rights and ownership, and Offshore Music’s Audry Dionisio, named Independent Record Labels Executive of the Year for empowering emerging talent within the thriving indie space of our country.

Paired together, these first two iterations of Billboard Philippines Women in Music have achieved something rare, as they have created a space where legacy, innovation, artistry, and industry leadership coexist. By honoring both the women we see on stage and the women whose work happens quietly behind the curtain, the event has reframed success as something collective — built through talent, mentorship, and an unwavering sense of commitment.

In just two years, Billboard Philippines’ Women in Music has proven itself to be more than an awards show, but has become a living archive of Filipina excellence. As the event continues to evolve and reach millions of Filipina musicians and executives in the making over these next few years, it undeniably stands as a platform for visibility, and a reminder that the future of Philippine music continues to be written — whether it be powerfully, purposefully, and unapologetically — by women.