MANILA, Philippines – The maritime industry is one of the biggest in Philippine overseas employment — with Filipinos accounting for over 25% of the entire world’s demographic of seafaring professionals. 

This industry, however, has long been male-dominated. A report by UP-CIFAL Philippines even found that Filipino women only make up over 6% of the maritime workforce, and often take on jobs in hospitality, catering and passenger services. As if these numbers aren’t already glaring enough, the same report also found that very few Filipino women actually go on to occupy technical and senior leadership positions. 

Doris Magsaysay Ho, however, breaks that chain as the current CEO and president of the shipping, human resources, and logistics firm Magsaysay Group of Companies. Throughout her time as its head, the Magsaysay Group became the first local maritime company to be awarded the EDGE Assess certification for workplace gender equity, as it is women that have filled up 45% of junior management roles. 

Now, Ho is being honored with a Ramon V. del Rosario (RVR) Nation Building award — and has just become the first woman to receive the distinction. 

The CEO and president’s leadership style is simple: she shifts the focus from ships to people, and recognizes that the holistic wellbeing of seafarers is just as important as the economic support they are able to provide their families through their jobs. Testament to this is the MOL Magsaysay Maritime Academy, an institution founded by the Magsaysay Group and Mitsui O.S.K Lines in 2018 to train up to 1,000 maritime students. 

“Dr. Doris Magsaysay Ho pioneered the Philippine maritime industry’s transformation into a globally respected sector while, in equal measure, expanding opportunities for Filipino seafarers and contributing to national progress. Her leadership has shown that shipping is not merely about connecting ports and markets, but also about advancing the welfare of the people who keep the industry moving,” said retired Chief Justice Artemio Panganiban, who serves as the award’s board of judges chair. 

The Magsaysay Group has also placed a bigger emphasis on progressive welfare initiatives with Ho’s help. 

There’s Fundamayan, which provides financial assistance to employees and their families when they need it most. Most interestingly, though, there’s also MATTERS, a crew welfare system dedicated to Filipino seafarers’ health, mental wellness, financial literacy, and career advancement. 

But this is not the first time Ho has achieved a historic first. In 2023, she also became the first woman to occupy the chair of the Steamship Mutual Underwriting Association (Bermuda), which addresses insurance issues for ship owners across the globe. 

Ho pursued a degree in industrial design at the Pratt Institute in New York before coming home to work for the Magsaysay Group of Companies — her family’s business. She eventually also received an honorary Doctor of Humane Arts degree from the same university. 

The president and CEO received the RVR Nation Building award after the late Howard Dee, the former Philippine ambassador to the Holy See. 

Other notable names who have earned the same distinction since 2010 include Jollibee founder Tony Tan-Caktiong, SM Group founder Henry Sy Sr., businessman Manuel V. Pangilinan, and Ayala Corp. chairman Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, among many others.

The Ramon V. del Rosario Nation Building award is organized by the PHINMA Group, the Junior Chamber International Manila, De La Salle University, and the Asian Institute of Management. It awards notable Filipino business leaders who make a social impact through their work.  – Rappler.com

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