CEBU CITY --Healthcare leadership is not just
about expertise, it is about showing up for people with clarity, compassion,
and purpose and at Aventus Medical Care, women power is felt from the clinic
floor to the boardroom, they shape a workplace where care is not just a
service, but a value.
Dr. Donabel Pineda, Medical Director, did not
always picture herself in medicine, it was her father who first encouraged her
to try. "At first, it was
difficult. It required courage, commitment, and a strong willingness to keep
learning," she recalls.
That difficulty became direction and today, she
leads with the same quiet resolve that carried her through. She is honest about the challenges that come
with being a woman in a leadership role.
"There are times when I am perceived as
'too soft,” she says. But she sees it differently. Compassion, she believes, is
not a weakness. It is what makes women especially effective in healthcare.
Mary Rose Decena, Corporate Relations Manager,
leads with a simple but powerful shift in perspective. "We don't just provide a service. We
become a true health partner." For
her, leadership means seeing the whole person, not just their productivity, but
their well-being. That human-first approach, she says, is what women bring to
the table.
Michelle Joy Palomar-Menicable, Clinic Head of
Filomena Clinic, finds meaning in the everyday. "Each day is an
opportunity to learn and connect. Filomena Clinic is more than my workplace. It
is my home." Her leadership is
built on relationships, with her team, her patients, and herself. Every
challenge, she says, shapes a better version of who she is.
Leah Pundan, Senior Assistant Manager for
Billing and Collection, works behind the scenes, but the impact is real. "When financial processes are managed
with accountability, they help sustain services that support patient
care," she explains. Her leadership
is grounded in faith and integrity—not just hitting targets, but taking care of
the people around her along the way.
Dr. Pierenne Virgil Pinlac-Santos, in medical evaluation, stays motivated by one thing. "The opportunity to make a meaningful difference in patients' lives."
Simple. Steady. Enough. Together, these women point to something larger. As Dr. Pineda puts it, more women are stepping into decision-making roles in healthcare and the industry is better for it. Her advice to those who follow? "Know your purpose. It will define your goals and carry you forward."
This Women's Month, their stories share one
quiet truth: real leadership is not about the title. It is about the
willingness to serve, to listen, and to lift others up. At
Aventus, women are not waiting for a seat at the table, they are already at the
helm. (Photos: Aventus Medical Care)
