THEY say you should never meet your heroes because you might be disappointed should they turn out to be very different from your preconceptions. Lawyer Estrella ‘Star’ Elamparo, who’s also a runner and mother, is someone who I have always wanted to meet. Formerly a lawyer for the government pension fund GSIS, Elamparo seemed to me a beautiful, smart and empowered woman.
Finally, I met Elamparo at the #UnstoppablePowHER: The Watsons Women’s Forum 2025 held at Enderun, where she was one of the panelists in the discussion moderated by Mica Pineda and also participated in by Ting Joson, secretary general of Triathlon Philippines; Miss Earth Philippines 2017 Karen Ibasco, and Lynn Pinugu, co-founder and CEO of She Talks Asia and executive director of Mano Amiga Philippines.
At the sidelines of the event, we talked to Elamparo about being a woman in law, a male-dominated field.
‘In law school, it was not much of a problem, but when I went into practice that’s where I saw how difficult it was. As a young female lawyer, I encountered harassment in the form of comments about what I wore [short skirts and heels] and other micro-aggressions. That escalated to even more serious forms of harassment and when I told the law office where I worked, I was told it was probably because my skirts were very short,’ said Elamparo.
As she became more established in the field of law and gained a reputation as someone strict and outspoken, the harassment has stopped-but it’s still there.
‘We’ve progressed but the problem is still there. As women, it is up to us to stand against these things so that [the situation] will change,’ she said.
But the way Elamparo looks at it, progress is still progress, no matter how small.
‘There are more female law students than men now, and eight out of 10 legal department heads in the country’s top conglomerates are women. It feels good to know we’ve opened doors for the next generation.’
The Watsons Women’s Forum was created to be a celebration of women. It was also a reminder that the best atmosphere where they can thrive is one wherein they get support from other women.
Elamparo, for example, said that while laws are in place to counter violence against and harassment of women, it is still up to us to be vigilant and make sure the laws are enforced.
‘Even if we are not the victims, we have to speak up. It is our obligation to be vigilant.’
‘Today is all about women empowerment, giving women a voice, a platform, and a community where we can share stories, exchange ideas, and remind one another that we are never alone in our journeys. Through the Women’s Forum, Watsons continues to open spaces that uplift, educate and inspire. At Watsons, empowerment has always been part of who we are,’ said Kim Reyes, Beauty Business Unit and Commercial Services director for Watsons Personal Care Stores (Philippines).
As a safe space for women, the event also featured PowHER Stories, an open mic session where women shared their journeys of resilience, purpose and self-discovery. Meanwhile, guests explored interactive experiences such as a customized scent perfume bar, commissioned artists for watercolor portraits, photo booth, and message wall. Every activity was created to celebrate creativity, confidence, and connection.
‘The celebration doesn’t end here. Empowerment isn’t just a one-day event. It’s something we live and breathe every day. It’s in the way we care for ourselves, how we treat others, and how we lift up other women. Because at Watsons, we truly believe that when women empower women, the world becomes a better place,’ said Sharon Decapia, SAVP for marketing, PR and Sustainability of Watsons Philippines.