In celebration of National Women’s Month, the PhilWiki Community successfully hosted its joint Annual General Meeting (AGM) and the inaugural WikiWomen Filipinas Summit 2026 at Que Pasa, Barlin St., Naga City. The event marked a significant milestone in the community’s ongoing mission to bridge the gender gap and enhance Philippine representation across global Wikimedia platforms.
During the Annual General Meeting, members elected a 5-member board to lead the community for the 2026–2027 term. Joining the leadership team is Sheena Bagacina, a dedicated senior high school teacher. She serves alongside returning board members Bernadette Roco, Leah Sumalinog, Marife Altabano, and Maffeth Opiana Sto. Tomas, signaling a strong commitment to female-led advocacy within the Philippine digital landscape.
The transition of leadership was formalized by Naga City Councilor Nathan Sergio, Committee Chair on Culture and the Arts, who presided over the swearing-in of the new officers.
The summit was graced by Jamin Phoebe Sabaybay (in the featured photo), Acting Naga City Youth Mayor. In an inspiring address, Sabaybay reflected on her growth as a young leader, sharing how the opportunity to work alongside seasoned mentors and distinguished local leaders has been instrumental in evolving her leadership journey.
As a core component of the PhilWiki Community’s diversity program, the summit featured presentations from three prominent Wikimedians who detailed the affiliate’s active campaigns.
Sheena Bagacina highlighted the impactful work of WikiWomen Filipinas and the core mission of the WikiGap Campaign in the Philippines, which focuses on increasing the number of Wikipedia articles about notable Filipinas.
Maffeth Opiana Sto. Tomas introduced the #SheSaid Campaign, an initiative dedicated to celebrating women’s voices. Sto. Tomas was recognized for her remarkable achievement in completing the 100 Quotes, 100 Days challenge on Wikiquote, a feat that significantly strengthens Philippine representation within the movement.
Irvin Sto. Tomas discussed the intersection of gender and cultural heritage through his presentation on the global Feminism+Folklore and Wiki Loves Folklore campaigns, emphasizing the importance of documenting diverse traditions in the Philippine language editions of Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons.
The event underscored the PhilWiki Community’s commitment to creating an inclusive digital landscape. By fostering collaborations between youth leaders and veteran editors, the WikiWomen Filipinas Summit 2026 has set a new benchmark for community-led advocacy in the Bicol Region and beyond.
Photographs by ShmilyDigital and Filipinayzd (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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