Cebu Pacific recognized for gender equality, workplace inclusion

Cebu Pacific has been recognized for its gender-equality and workplace-inclusion practices after becoming the first Philippine airline to complete an assessment under the Gender Equality Assessment, Results and Strategies framework.

The Philippine Business Coalition for Women Empowerment recognized Cebu Air Inc., Cebu Pacific’s listed operator, during its June 30 general membership meeting in Makati, alongside Capital One Philippines, Global Dominion Financing, PwC Acceleration Center Manila, and South Asialink Finance Corp.

The airline said the recognition followed its completion of 17 initiatives under the GEARS framework covering leadership accountability, flexible work arrangements, workplace safety, and LGBTQIA+ inclusion.

Felix Lopez, Cebu Pacific’s chief human resources officer, said the assessment represented a step toward embedding inclusion in the airline’s daily operations rather than an endpoint.

“We take pride in being the first and only local carrier to have our workplace practices independently assessed under the GEARS framework, but we don’t aspire to simply be first.”

“Our focus is on building a workplace where everyone can grow and succeed.”

“That means continuing to strengthen our programs, listening to our people, and sustaining the progress we’ve made so inclusion remains part of how we work every day,” Lopez said.

Cebu Pacific said its diversity, equity, and inclusion measures include extending health care benefits to employees’ same-sex and common-law partners and requiring DEI training for leaders and newly hired workers.

The airline also operates the Juan CEB Community, an employee resource group that supports women, LGBTQIA+ workers, solo parents, and persons with disabilities, according to the company.

The initiatives build on Cebu Pacific’s membership in PBCWE, which it joined in 2023 as the coalition’s first airline member.

PBCWE said at the time that GEARS combines workforce data with reviews of specific policy areas to help companies identify strengths, gaps, and opportunities involving workplace equality.

Cebu Pacific expanded its inclusion efforts to student training in June, when it accepted three Deaf interns from De La Salle–College of Saint Benilde’s School of Deaf Education and Applied Studies through the airline’s FLY Internship Program.

Employees attended a Deaf Awareness Session before the interns arrived to learn about Deaf culture and inclusive communication, the airline said.

The company also reported that women now account for 54% of its management workforce and said representation has increased in technical and operational positions, including among pilots.

The release did not provide the number of managers covered by the calculation, a comparison period, or detailed data on hiring, promotion, compensation, and retention by gender.

The distinction is significant in an aviation industry where women remain underrepresented in technical positions.

A Philippine government paper presented at a 2024 International Civil Aviation Organization regional conference said women represented about 6% of pilots worldwide, while women held 3.61% of airline transport pilot licenses and 12.25% of commercial pilot licenses in the Philippines.

The same paper said Philippine airlines had made progress in employing women as captains and first officers but identified continuing gaps in gender-sensitivity training, workplace facilities, and support for pregnant pilots.

The workplace recognition comes as Cebu Pacific’s financial performance and operations continue to expand following the aviation industry’s pandemic-era downturn.

Cebu Air reported gross revenue of PHP 119.93 billion in 2025, up 14% from PHP 104.91 billion a year earlier, according to its annual report filed with the Philippine Stock Exchange.

Net income more than doubled to PHP 12.31 billion from PHP 5.40 billion, giving the carrier additional capacity to invest in recruitment, training, employee benefits, and other workforce programs.

PBCWE was established in 2017 through a partnership between the Philippine Women’s Economic Network and Investing in Women, an Australian government initiative.

The GEARS framework was developed by Investing in Women using experience from Australia’s Workplace Gender Equality Agency and is intended to help employers benchmark policies and prepare action plans.

The June recognition denotes Cebu Pacific’s completion of the assessment, although neither the airline’s announcement nor PBCWE’s event report disclosed an overall GEARS score or company-level gender pay-gap findings.