This Women’s Month, Modess is reclaiming a phrase many women have heard at some point in their lives: “babae kasi.” Often used to dismiss women or question their abilities, the line has long carried quiet limitations. Modess is turning that narrative around, reframing it as a reminder that being a woman is not a disadvantage, but a source of strength.
A Women’s Month Celebration Built on Visibility, Voice, and Real Support
To bring the message into everyday spaces, Modess partnered with Grab Philippines from 10 March to 9 April to spotlight women drivers and Move It motorcycle riders navigating a traditionally male-dominated industry. Through the collaboration, Modess distributed free pads to women passengers riding with women Grab drivers and extended that same gesture to those riding with women Move It motorcycle riders — making menstrual hygiene essentials more accessible on the road. It was a simple but powerful reminder that protection, comfort, and confidence should never be out of reach, no matter where the journey takes you.
Extending these stories even further, Modess also launched Confidence Convos starting 19 March until end of March, a video series in partnership with Cosmopolitan Philippines, which spotlights women thriving in unconventional spaces from female aviation to ride hailing and mobility services. The series explores the challenges these women face while highlighting how they continue to flourish in their fields, reinforcing a powerful truth: women are capable of thriving anywhere they choose to be.
The conversation continued at this year’s BeautyCon, held on March 20, where Modess brought together women breaking barriers in their own areas of expertise — not just to talk about confidence, but to reclaim it. The event challenged the phrase “babae kasi,” which highlighted how Modess and its guests flipped the narrative, turning it into a declaration of strength and confidence.
Actress, host, model, and influencer Kaila Estrada spoke about standing her ground in a competitive, often relentless industry: “‘We don’t just belong in these spaces — we elevate them.” She also opened up about pushing through red days on set, reminding women that being in discomfort doesn’t mean stopping — it means knowing your body and trusting it.
Astronaut Candidate Kristine Jane Atienza reflected on carving her path in a field where Filipino women are rarely seen: “Every time I heard ‘babae kasi,’ I just trained harder. It became fuel. Proving them wrong wasn’t even the goal—it just happened. And astronaut training (yes, even on red days) proved my body can do way more than I was told.” She shared how powering through the physical demands of astronaut training — red days included — taught her that her body was capable of far more than she had been led to believe.
Girls Got Game co-managing directors Gybel Agregado and Kaye Martinez-Daly echoed the same spirit. Agregado shared: “ Our work at Girls Got Game is rooted in one belief: young girls deserve to see women compete, lead, and win — unapologetically. ‘Babae kasi’ was never a reason to sit out. It’s a reason to show up harder.” Martinez-Daly added: “Women are always told it can’t be done; but the moment you choose not to listen to that, everything changes. Red days, bad days, hard days — you still show up. That’s what confidence really looks like.”
Beyond Women’s Month, Modess is sustaining this commitment through its partnership with Girls Got Game, supporting programs that empower young women to develop confidence, leadership, and resilience early—before the world attempts to define their limits for them.
“’Babae kasi’ has long been said as a limitation that has shaped how women live, pushing them to shrink themselves, be quieter, more careful, or less visible,” said Katee Tolabing, Senior Brand Manager of Modess. “This Women’s Month, we’re reclaiming it as a statement of strength and celebrating what it truly means to be a woman: showing up with confidence, moving freely, and owning every space with pride. At Modess, we believe every woman deserves to live fully and confidently, every single day, with the freedom to keep going, even on her red days.”
By uplifting women in everyday spaces and amplifying their stories, Modess hopes to help more women see confidence not as something they need to prove but something they already carry.
