How mWell fosters women in leadership for innovation

BY FOSTERING women in leadership roles and ensuring equal opportunities in the workplace, a company can drive inclusive growth and innovation, according to June Cheryl “Chaye” Cabal-Revilla, chief executive officer of mWell, the digital healthcare arm of Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC).

“Nothing beats hard work. We women have to just show what we’ve got and show them that we are equal, or sometimes even better, in the responsibilities that we are given,” Ms. Cabal, who also serves as MPIC’s chief finance, risk, and sustainability officer, told Editor-in-Chief Cathy Rose A. Garcia during an episode of BusinessWorld One-on-One online interview series themed “The Reinvention of Business.”

Despite ongoing gender parity issues, Ms. Revilla noted that more women are joining the board, particularly at mWell, which is a women-dominated space.

“I am actually blessed to be part of the MVP group, which provides equal opportunities for men and women,” she said, adding that being in a male-dominated industry helps shape her approach in leadership.

“Still, it is about being able to know the business intimately, the ins and outs. I think given the mWell leadership, equal opportunities should be there and just picking the good people to be given the chance to lead teams and to foster innovation,” she said.

According to a report by McKinsey & Company and LeanIn.Org, women’s representation in the C-suite has reached its highest level ever, showing encouraging gains at the top levels of organizations.

The Philippines ranked 19^th out of 146 countries in the 2022 Global Gender Gap Index by the World Economic Forum, making it the top gender-equal nation in Southeast Asia. The Gender Gap Index measures gender equality in economic participation, education, health, and political empowerment.

mWell also aims to expand its platform to address the healthcare needs of Filipinos, particularly in underserved communities, Ms. Revilla said.

“Our mWell platform has been developed and designed on a scalable basis. It is like a block. It can expand at any point in time. We are not just catering to consumers or individuals, we want to be like Grab or Uber for everything and anything that is healthcare,” she said.

The company is working to expand its digital healthcare offerings by integrating self-care tools and counseling services into its product suite.

“We have started this push for Filipinos to do preventive health, we have launched this campaign, and it is very fitting for the Filipinos… We’re building more platforms that will support our Metro Pacific hospitals in the country,” Ms. Revilla said.

The mWell app provides online consultations, daily health tracking, financial wellness tools, laboratory services, pharmacy options, home care, and emergency response. It also includes the Mind Health Score feature, which tracks users’ emotional well-being.

MPIC is one of the three key Philippine units of Hong Kong-based First Pacific Co. Ltd., the others being Philex Mining Corp. and PLDT Inc.

Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has a majority share in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls. — Ashley Erika O. Jose