“I used to be ‘kikay’ when I was younger, even my classmates from college find it hard to believe now that I do field work,” she shared. “But I am proud of the fact that I am a woman working in an industry that is mainly dominated by men. I know that my responsibilities are heavy, but that makes me feel stronger and capable of accomplishing anything in this life. Although some of our activities require physical strength like lifting heavy spares during trouble isolations, as a woman engineer, that doesn't limit my capability in restoring our sites. We contribute by working hard to equip ourselves with in-depth knowledge in commissioning, integration, and other technical ways.”

In charge of several sites, Engineer Salas also provides critical insights that help the whole team assess the performance of the network to ensure that customers will stay connected to their mobile internet.

“I recall the first time I went to a site on my own, it was challenging because I had to reach the cabin with a vertical ladder. But I had to overcome my own fears. When you need to restore a site, you need to respond quickly and efficiently," she shared.

When it comes to working in a highly male-dominated industry, Ms. Salas emphasized that knowledge is power. “Keep learning, learn something new every day. You need to learn as much as you can to help boost your confidence to enable you to work alongside your colleagues. And more importantly, enjoy your work.”

Gender equality is high in the agenda of the PLDT Group’s Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) initiatives, as a leading equal opportunity employer in the country.

“I am grateful to work in a company that recognizes the impact of women's contribution in the workplace. All of us are given an equal opportunity to express our abilities and skills. Our strengths -- which can make an impact to the team -- are highly emphasized. We also have to identify our weaknesses or the gaps that need to be filled. Our colleagues also play a big part in our career growth. They serve as our knowledge expanders. Learning from successful people has enabled me to approach situations with alternative perspectives and a better understanding of my chosen career,” Ms. Salas said.