This month, women take the spotlight as they are honored for their achievements and celebrated for their capabilities and potential.
For PBA stalwarts James Yap, Robert Bolick and Javee Mocon, the women whom they will give due recognition to are those within their families – their mothers, wives and sisters.
Asked who is the woman whom he looks up to in his life, Blackwater star Yap pointed out his mom.
"Of course, my mom. Without my mom, talagang wala ako ngayon dito kasi siya ang nag-alaga sa akin ever since. Siyempre, with my ano..." said Yap, trailing off.
"Pero mama's boy ako, eh," he added.
Bolick, the scoring machine of his new team NLEX, said that it was also his mother, as well as his wife and sisters, noting that they are "strong-willed women."
The Ormoc native added that his admiration stems from their capability to bear children and take care of them, and the sacrifices they have to endure in doing so.
"Siyempre, nanay ko, asawa ko, mga kapatid kong babae. Strong-willed women," said Bolick.
"Nilagay nila kami sa tiyan, nilabas nila kami at inalagaan nila kami. Lalo na 'yung nanay ko. Hindi naman ako magkakaganito kung wala 'yung nanay ko. Siyempre, 'yung asawa ko. Magiging mother na rin siya. Nakikita ko 'yung pinagdadaanan niya. Hindi biro pero talagang tinrabaho niya para sa anak namin. So sila, sila 'yung nagdadala," added Bolick as he raised both of his arms in surrender.
Phoenix ace Mocon was also quick to pick his mom and wife for the very same reasons.
"My mom saka 'yung wife ko. Kasi sa mom ko, nakita ko 'yung hard work. Nag-alaga sa akin and working pa. Kasi hindi naman kami galing sa pera. She really worked hard para mapunta kung nasaan kami ngayon. Lima kaming magkakapatid, eh," said Mocon.
"Sa wife ko naman, I can see 'yung sakripisyo niya para sa akin and sa family na we are building," added Mocon.
Bolick noted retired tennis great Serena Williams as the female athlete he admires. And while he is not able to watch women's sports now unlike before, he expressed his support for female participation in sports, be it in basketball or soccer, among others.
"Pinanood ko lang sina Serena Williams. 'Yung ibang sports kasi, hindi ko na masyadong [napapanood]. Dati [napapanood ko]. Pero kung ano man 'yung mayroon sila, supportive naman tayo. Gusto natin ng mayroong basketball, soccer, kung ano mang mayroon sila, suportahan natin. Tulungan lang," he said.
Mocon said that Filipina athletes, as well as those in other fields, excel but do not get as much spotlight. He pointed out tennis standout Alex Eala as an example of women empowerment and how she well represents what Filipinas are capable of.
Eala currently sits at No. 171 in the world rankings.
"I think hindi lang nalalagyan ng limelight 'yung women natin in sports. Not only in sports, like mga executives na behind the scenes who are really putting in the work. One example siguro who is really showing empowering women is si Alex Eala sa tennis. She's playing international. She's showing what Filipinas are made of," said Mocon.
Mocon has been married for nearly a year now. While he is still yet to have a baby, he bared that he wishes to have a daughter as his first child because of a girl's admirable attitude as a first-born and in looking after her siblings.
If he has a message for his future daughter, it would be this – just be herself – as he looks forward to a better generation for her as the present society strives to break barriers for women.
"Sabi ko sa wife ko, if kung ano ang gender ng magiging first child namin, sabi ko, I want it to be a daughter kasi iba 'yung attitude nila towards other siblings, sa pagiging panganay in general," shared Mocon.
"If may message ako sa kanya, just be yourself. And itong mga adversities that we are experiencing right now, hopefully, hindi na mapunta sa generation nila. We are starting to break barriers right now, so it is going to be a greater generation for them," he added.
Bolick, for his part, is expecting a baby boy with wife Cassandra. But if he is to have a daughter in the future, he will empower her to stand up on her own – without having to rely on a man.
"Sasabihin ko lang sa kanya, ganoon talaga 'yung buhay. Minsan hindi equal, may mga bagay kang hindi kontrol. Basta palakihin mo lang nang maayos, turuan mo nang maayos. Pumasok siya, mag-aral siya and hindi siya magpapabuhay [sa] lalaki. Kung kaya mong buhayin ang sarili mo, why not 'di ba?" said Bolick.
Bolick added that he will encourage her daughter that she could achieve anything as a woman – what a man could do, she could do also. That is why females are known to be "superwomen."
"Nasa sa'yo naman 'yun. Walang lalaki, walang babae. Kung kaya mo, kaya mo. Kaya nga superwoman ang tawag sa kanila, eh," said Bolick.
"Kaya pa nilang magtrabaho while nag-be-bear ng anak. Ang hirap noon. Sila lang ang nakakagawa noon. Sila lang."
Yap, who has a five-year-old daughter, Francesca, with wife Michela, said that he will be a stage dad as he promises to support her in anything that she would pursue.
"Whatever she likes, I'll support her. Ganoon naman as a father. So, of course, I want to become a stage father," said Yap, laughing.
"My only one daughter. Maghanda sila!" chuckled Yap, who also has two sons.
(With reports from Jan Ballesteros)