manilatimes15d ago
WHEN I first pitched this column to the management of The Manila Times, I knew exactly what I didn’t want it to become. I had absolutely no interest in creating yet another conventional tech space that simply recycles the buzzwords we are bombarded with every day. We hear about AI, blockchain, cybersecurity and digital transformation constantly, often stripped of context. The truth is that we have no shortage of highly technical discussions about systems, code and infrastructure. What felt profoundly missing from the national conversation was a focus on the actual people behind the screen. More specifically, I wanted to talk about women in technology. I don’t mean featuring them as rare exceptions, token success stories or boxes to be checked on a corporate diversity checklist. Instead, I wanted to highlight them as leaders, builders, educators and innovators who are shaping the digital infrastructure of our country from the ground up. That is how Beyond the Binary came to life. The title, of course, is a direct reference to the fundamental language of computers — the rigid 1s and 0s that power our digital world. But for me, going “beyond the binary” means moving past outdated assumptions about gender roles in the workplace. It means rewriting the script on who gets to innovate, who gets to lead and who gets a seat at the table when our collective digital future is being designed. It is, in many ways, about women breaking the glass ceiling in technology — but on a deeper level. To be absolutely clear, this will never be a column of glorified corporate résumés or PR-driven profiles. Nor am I interested in highlighting women simply because they happen to be women. What genuinely fascinates me is something much larger and more impactful: What do their unique, often hard-won experiences teach us about leadership, resilience and the future we are building together? A perfect example of this quiet excellence is Mary Joy Abueg. If you aren’t deeply embedded in the local technology, academic or public policy sectors, her name might not immediately ring a bell. Yet her work touches areas that affect our daily digital lives in ways we rarely realize. As a certified data privacy specialist and data protection officer, Dr. Abueg has spent years strengthening information technology education and workforce readiness alongside organizations such as the Commission on Higher Education and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority. She has also contributed to national information technology standards through the Bureau of Philippine Standards. Today, she serves as an associate professor, chief information officer and data protection officer at Palawan State University while also chairing PalwaNXT and serving as a trustee of the National ICT Confederation of the Philippines. On paper, those credentials are undeniably impressive, but it was the quiet gravity of her day-to-day work that caught my attention. Much of what she does involves helping large, traditional institutions adapt to a rapidly changing digital landscape. She tackles data protection, technology governance and digital transformation — critical but often unglamorous areas that do not generate flashy headlines yet remain essential to a stable digital economy. It is the kind of heavy lifting that happens behind the scenes, but it matters enormously. Encountering Dr. Abueg’s journey reminded me of a phrase I have carried throughout my own career in technology: You can’t become what you can’t see. We often hear this phrase in conversations about women in STEM, but it deserves a deeper look in the Philippine context. For young Filipinas considering careers in technology, the barrier has never been a lack of talent. The Philippines is rich with brilliant and capable minds. The real issue is visibility. When you rarely see women leading high-stakes digital initiatives, writing technology policy, managing cybersecurity crises or architecting national data governance frameworks, picturing yourself in those roles requires a leap of faith. It is not impossible, but it becomes far less likely to happen naturally. Representation is not about political correctness or meeting diversity quotas. It is about expanding the horizon of what is possible for the next generation. When a student sees someone she can genuinely relate to succeeding in a highly technical field, it changes her blueprint for the future. A young professional gains the confidence to pursue leadership roles, and organizations are challenged to question long-held assumptions about who belongs in decision-making positions. Over time, these individual shifts can reshape the culture of an industry. Right now, the national conversation around women in technology remains too focused on participation statistics. We celebrate enrollment numbers, encourage young girls to pursue STEM education and create programs to expand technology access in underserved communities. These initiatives are important and must continue. But the conversation must evolve. The question is no longer whether women belong in technology. Their contributions have answered that decisively. The more urgent question is whether women are being given the influence to shape the systems, policies and innovations that will govern our collective future. Technology is never neutral. The people who design algorithms, secure networks and write digital policies make decisions that affect how we learn, work and access essential services. Diversity in technology is not simply a matter of fairness; it is also a matter of quality. Different perspectives lead to stronger problem-solving, better products and systems that serve the public more effectively. Yet many women doing this essential work remain invisible outside their professional circles. Beyond the Binary aims to change that — not by handing out praise, but by examining what these leaders’ journeys reveal about the future of our digital society. Dr. Abueg’s story is a reminder that some of the most important work in the digital economy is happening far from the spotlight — inside state universities, regional technology hubs, government agencies and professional communities preparing the Philippines for the future. If we want a globally competitive digital economy, we must pay attention to the people building it. In the end, our greatest national advantage will not be the technology we purchase, but the talent we intentionally develop, support and empower. When more people can see themselves in technology, more people will step forward to help build it. And that is how we create a stronger future. Gail Macapagal is the 2025 TOWNS (The Outstanding Women in Nation’s Service) awardee for information technology and entrepreneurship, executive director of Qadena Foundation, head of external and government affairs at Traxion Tech, founder of Women in Blockchain Philippines, and co-founder of Cyber S|Heroes and Lakambini ng Kalayaan. She serves on the boards of Humanility and the Blockchain Council of the Philippines. She is also a member of the 100 Most Influential Filipino Women on LinkedIn Hall of Fame and a TEDx speaker. She writes Beyond the Binary, a column exploring technology, leadership, innovation and the people shaping the digital future.
