Women of KP: Shattering Glass Ceilings to Make HERstory 

Women’s Month in March is both a prideful celebration of how far women have come, and reminder of how far women have yet to go. Though the women throughout history have successfully challenged norms, many hurdles remain for the women of today. 

Women do not fail to rise to the occasion, and yet society often moves goalposts to accommodate men who do. This is why the glass ceiling exists—a systemic barrier that prevents women from taking the reins and leading the charge. You can be the most qualified one in the room, yet when decisions are pondered and answers are sought, the room does not look to you. 

Fortunately, glass is not indestructible, and the women of King Properties believe so, too.

We asked some of them about the glass ceilings they have shattered—or are working to shatter—throughout their career.

For Aileen Lariba, JIKFI Operations Supervisor, she would shatter not only glass ceilings, but also the walls that hold them up—as long as it meant she and her team at the Juanito I. King Foundation could bring relief to the furthest communities. For her, no situation was beyond fixing—they overcame impossibility and inexperience by wearing many hats to wash, paint, build, fix, and even heavy-lift whatever their beneficiaries needed.

Ivy Delector, Senior Sales & Marketing Manager, shattered the glass ceiling by using her position to transform her department’s culture. Today, the department’s operations are no longer transactional, but relational—instead of simply providing homes, they nurtured connections. By opening these doors for brokers and clients, King Properties is a step closer to realizing its vision of being the preferred brand. 

Florey Mae Itulid, Sales Supervisor for Bacolod-Iloilo, leveraged the very qualities often frowned upon for being “too feminine”: empathy, intuition, and strong relationship-building. Those on the other side perceived these as limitations, she made them her strengths—being a woman is the same way, she said. Through reading the situations beyond the numbers, she managed to find the glass ceiling’s weak point, and the rest is history. 

Mary Jane Mendaje, Finance Manager, entered King Properties at a cusp—a time when processes and systems were undergoing transformation. Though being tasked to pioneer these major changes in accounting automations was how she shattered the glass ceiling, it was only the beginning of a long road. Thankfully, putting in the work was a fulfilling process with the help of a committed team and mentorship from highly competent women like Lilibeth Peralta, Chief Finance Officer. 

Nicole Lesigues, HR Officer, found that the glass ceiling was made of a label—one that confined her human resources role solely to an administrative function. She pushed back by defying the expectation of staying in the background, and it eventually caved. In standing her ground, however, she never forgot to be approachable and kind—traits that ultimately shaped the organization’s perceptions and reception of HR. 

For Heidi Odchigue, AVP for Project Development, shattering the glass ceiling meant thriving in a leadership role as a woman—especially when said team is mostly women—in a field dominated by men. She does her work and does it well, and in the process, she is mentoring and coaching a young and growing team. In time, these women will not only be able to break their own glass ceilings but also prevent their creation in the first place. 

The glass ceiling for Helena King, Managing Director, is one of the biggest myths in the workplace: that your work will speak for itself. For her, delivering excellent results is only part of the equation; visibility is the other. To break through, she states that you must relentlessly champion your own value: track quantifiable achievements and their business impact, then bring those metrics to performance reviews. Be your own greatest advocate instead of waiting to be noticed.

King Properties believes that women are equally deserving of a seat at the table.

This is not only proven by the personal anecdotes above, but also by its structure, as women make up 58% of King Properties—38.37% more than men. By fostering an environment where the glass ceiling can be reduced or even eliminated, King Properties ensures that decision-making positions go to the most qualified candidate—whether they are a man or woman. There are still miles to walk in a woman’s shoes, but this is a step in the right direction for those who wish to not just be a leading lady, but a lady who leads.