Empowering her skills despite gender inequality and discrimination, Mariel Pares proved that women can still rule in the world of technology as she shared her success in the information technology industry.

Not only in the Philippines, male employees and bosses are very dominant when it comes to the world of technology, noting that the big names in this industry are mostly men.

Being in a male-dominated field job, Mariel Pares disclosed that she somehow experienced discrimination as people viewed her as weak and incompetent because of her gender.

To prove them wrong, Mariel Pares took over a big project at her job, wherein she was the only woman at the table and was tasked with leading men for an animation project.

“I said yes because I know I can and I am really familiar with the technology, the process, and how to manage the project from the initiation to the delivery,” she said.

For this instance, she advised other women to stand for their goals because, as long as you are knowledgeable about a topic, there is no need to doubt yourself, even if you are surrounded by men.

This has encouraged Mariel Pares to excel more at work and even participated in one of the largest telecommunications companies in the Philippines, wherein they have developed an application that can be used by Filipinos nationwide.

Following her experience leading a team in a male-dominated field, she has then encouraged other women to continue striving in their dream fields despite their gender, especially in the tech world.

“My vision is to see more women in higher management or leadership roles in the tech industry. I know that we’re getting there, wherein more and more women are trying to be above the ladder compared to before when I only had male bosses. I look forward to seeing more women who know this technical stuff, proving that we—women—can actually be as analytical as them [men],” she said.

Following this, she also advised women to dress with femininity, as this will boost their confidence and prove that being a woman should not be a way for someone to be discriminated against but something to be proud of.