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The Philippines’ women in sports media are some of the best in the biz, and I’m lucky to have worked with many of them.

I’ve been in the sports industry for over a decade–as a columnist for SPIN, a marketer for UFC GYM, and the sports lead for TikTok Philippines. And through time, I’ve come to one realization: Women are responsible for a lot of the great sports content we all enjoy today. Producers, photographers, content creators, writers–some of the best and brightest I’ve met happen to be women.

Behind the dunks and the docus, the spikes and strikes, it’s the women of sports media who’ve been running the show all along. So this one goes out to them, the women who’ve driven sports media forward from behind the scenes. They may not find themselves on the cover of a magazine anytime soon, but they’d make damn sure that our athletes do.

It’ll take more than two articles to cover all the amazing women in sports media in the Philippines. But there’s no denying that the women below deserve the recognition.

Raine Ticzon

UAAP Anchor/ Starting Lineup Producer/ Quezon Huskers Media Manager, Cignal TV & Quezon Huskers

Raine is just 4 years out of college, and already her resume is packed with impressive achievements. Part of the new breed of sports media woman, Raine can seamlessly shift between on-cam and off-cam modes.

She’s camera-ready when she anchors for the UAAP girl’s and women’s basketball. Then she’s locked-in while producing stories about Filipino athletes for Cignal TV. And she’s in the trenches as the Media Manager for the Quezon Huskers, handling their social media accounts, coordinating their MPBL broadcasts, and securing their athlete guestings.

“One of my favorite things I’ve done was cover Gilas in one of their bubbles here in the Philippines,” Raine shared. “I also covered the Quezon Huskers as they claimed 2 championships in a year, and covered the UAAP Women’s Finals this season!”

Just a few years into her career, Raine already recognizes that there are still people in the industry who resist innovation and change. But with the strides she’s making, alongside other women in sports media, the old guard will have no choice but to adapt.

Raine’s advice to aspiring #WomenInSportsMedia:

“Just get into it! There are several avenues to enter the field that will help build up every single skill set you’ll need for your goal. Broadcast may be the flashiest and most glamorous jobs in media, but it’s not the end all be all. Take on small projects with big roles or big projects with small roles to really absorb everything you can. Learning comes from experience so be patient with your progress.

Bonus tip: Don’t compare your journey with your peers. You might think you need to keep competing against them, but in reality your journey will always be unique to you.”

Beatrice Go

Founder-CEO, Atleta Filipina

Adapt or get left behind–this is the mentality that made Beatrice Go pivot from traditional journalist to entrepreneur.

Beatrice has been in the sports media game for 8 years, starting out as a writer for The Guidon before becoming a multimedia sports reporter for Rappler. With Rappler, she covered the 2018 Asian Games, 2020 Tokyo Olympics, and three editions of the SEA Games. It was exciting and rewarding work, but there was one problem: Journalists and media professionals are underpaid. “It’s nearly impossible to build a personal life with this profession,” she shared.

Fortunately, Beatrice’s trajectory changed in 2022. She became an audience researcher for ABC Australia’s Women In News and Sports program, where she led the research on “Investing in Women’s Sports Content in the Philippines.” From there, she became an International Center For Journalists (ICFJ)- Newscorp Fellow in 2023, where she published a data journalism piece and a video documentary on girls’ sports participation with GMA. These experiences and the findings of her ABC research led to the birth of her new venture, Atleta Filipina, in January 2024.

Today, Atleta Filipina stands as a platform for Filipino women in sports. The company serves the women’s sports community by increasing the media coverage of women’s sports, and by staging sports clinics, tournaments and workshops.

Beatrice’s advice to aspiring #WomenInSportsMedia:

Ask the right “What If” questions– “What if this is will all work out in the end?”, “What if I get to find more life and joy here?”. If you are called to sports media, there will be so much grace to endure and overcome the challenges that can come your way. Don’t let fear rob you of the opportunity to experience more of life.

Judith Esquivias

Social Media/ Media Officer/ Producer, Freelance/ Manila Digger FC/ Smart Sports

Judith Esquivias’ journey from a Saudi elementary teacher to a Smart Sports content producer truly embodies the phrase, ‘You’ll never know until you try.’“

Judith grew up in Saudi, where she found a love for teaching. “I handled children three to six years old,” Judith shared. “I taught Universal subjects: English, Math, Science, Character Education, and MAPEH.”

However, shortly after flying to Manila with her family in December 2019, the pademic hit, placing her and the rest of the world in lockdown. This led to an unexpected turn of events. She said, “Since I was bored, I randomly messaged the Pilipinas Women’s National Team Facebook page, asking if they needed a video editor. Surprisingly, they said yes!“

From there, she worked as the team’s video creator before joining Smart Sports. “I specialize in creating video content, including reels, campaigns, and sports coverage,” she explained. “As a videographer and reels creator for Smart Sports I capture and produce dynamic sports content, as I previously did with the Philippine Women’s National Football Team.”

She relishes her work with the Filipinas, where she helped launch #KAYAngPINAY, a campaign for International Women’s Month that encouraged young girls in sports. Her career also took a jump as the graphic artist for Smart Live Stream‘s coverage of the Paris Olympics. There, she worked with our Olympic medalists to create pre- and post-Olympic content.

Judith still looks back at her job as a teacher–something she enjoyed and did well. Sometimes, she even has to overcome self-doubt in the face of her new-found career path. But Judith remains unfazed, excited for what lies ahead. “I’ll continue learning and growing, thanks to the people who guide and believe in me,” she said. “While I still have much to learn, I’m grateful for the opportunities and the trust placed in me along the way.”

Judith’s advice to aspiring #WomenInSportsMedia:

Trust the process, stay coachable, and embrace challenges. The key to growth in media is having a supportive environment and friends who push you forward. Seeing your work appreciated—especially by athletes—is the ultimate reward.

Sam Corrales

TV Host/ Courtside Reporter in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL)/ UAAP Correspondent Head, Cignal TV

Sam Corrales is a shape-shifter. From cheerdance athlete to boxing coach, from calling games to calling the shots, Sam hasn’t found a role she couldn’t adapt to.

You’ve seen her on your screen as a courtside reporter for PVL and as the go-to host of the UAAP Cheerdance competition. But the former UP Fighting Maroons courtside reporter takes equal (or seemingly greater) pride in her work behind the scenes.

Through her career, she’s worked with CNN Philippines as a sports producer. She also worked with Cignal TV as a writer, producer, and host during the Tokyo Olympics, briefly doing similar work with ONE Championship. For the recent UAAP Season 87, Sam worked together with the UAAP broadcast team to put together the first ever batch of homegrown talents.

In one of her latest projects, she was the Executive Producer for the sports show Hits Different, directed by Caloy Soliongco and hosted by Tots Carlos. The show can be watched via the Pilipinas Live App.

With her knowledge and experience, she leads the charge for a new wave of versatile sports media women. “I’m happy to guide the next generation of correspondents in collegiate sports, and provide mentorship as they start their broadcast careers in sports,” she shared.

Sam’s advice to aspiring #WomenInSportsMedia:

Remember your why and surround yourself with people who lift you up and support your personal growth.

Venice Furio

Founder, Laban Filipinas

Through the years, Venice has become a force in the coverage of women’s football and women’s sports in general.

Venice has been supporting the Filipinas since day 1. When many mainstream media wouldn’t take the time to attend a game or write about the team, Venice was there. She provided game and roster updates, created player profiles and conducted athlete interviews. Venice was like a lone football voice in a sea of basketball noise. She helped keep the embers of Pinay football burning, long before Filipinas fandom could come to full flame.

Pinay football is at an all-time high, but it took plenty of time to get to where it is now. “One challenge I’ve faced is shifting the conversation around women’s sports from appearances to their skills, dedication, and impact,” said Venice.

“There’s a tendency to objectify women in sports, reducing them to how they look rather than what they accomplish. It’s an ongoing effort to change this narrative and ensure athletes are recognized for their talent, hard work, and contributions to the game.”

True enough, her efforts haven’t slowed down. “My career in sports media began in 2013 with a camera in hand, managing social media of the now official Pilipinas Women’s National Team (PWNT) accounts,” she shared. “I’ve also been involved with Pinay Futbol, where we helped the Federation launch the first Women’s League. I’ve also spearheaded initiatives like Futbol Brew, a podcast dedicated to profiling and celebrating women’s national team athletes.”

Now, Venice has shifted her focused to a new platform, Laban Filipinas, expanding coverage beyond football to highlight Filipinas across other sports. She does this with the help of good friends, Pam Puri and Kit Rivilla. “At Laban Filipinas, we connect fans with the passion and resilience of our sports community, celebrating both the triumphs and the journey behind every game,” Venice shared.

Venice’s advice to aspiring #WomenInSportsMedia:

My advice would be to stay authentic and focus on telling meaningful stories. In a space where women are often underrepresented or objectified, it’s crucial to carve out your own voice and share the narratives that truly matter. Build your skills, stay persistent, and never be afraid to challenge the status quo.

Cleverlyn Mayuga

Executive Producer / Director / Creative Consultant, Freelance

Cleverlyn’s Instagram Stories sometimes look like AI-generated simulations of sports dream scenarios. From chilling with a dripped out Thirdy Ravena against a firey sunset backdrop, to riding shotgun with EJ Obiena in the driver’s seat, cruising through California, her content often seems unreal. But given the hard work and sacrifices she’s put into the industry, it’s no surprise that she finds herself in such surreal situations.

Cleverlyn has been covering sports for the likes of ABS-CBN Sports, SLAM online, and NBA.com Philippines. Recently, the UP Mass Comm grad directed the highly acclaimed Puso In Paris 2024, a docu-series that followed our Filipino Olympians in their preparations for the Paris Olympics.

Despite the high-profile companies and projects she’s been part of, she doesn’t define her work by the brands involved, but by the quality of its execution.

“The way I would describe my job in sports media, in one word, would probably be making things happen excellently,” she said. “It ranges from making sure that projects and productions are done with the standards that we uphold along with my collaborators, to connecting people from athletes to clients, to our respective communities in the sports industry. Lastly, making sure we tell stories with utmost consideration and care.“

“I think if there’s something that I would like to be highlighted about my career is that I do it with a lot of care/ pake and with a lot of love,” she explained. “Through this, I make sure that I don’t shortchange the athletes and their stories whenever we create materials with them, or when I collaborate with different brands and people.

“It’s always about building that culture of collective care and excellence,” she added. “People will always do good work when they see why you’re doing things, and athletes and brands not only notice that, but they feel it.”

Cleverlyn’s advice to aspiring #WomenInSportsMedia:

I will list five things:

1. Find joy in everything you do. If you can’t find joy, get curious. You’ll find it eventually.
2. Do things excellently, because how you do something is how you do everything.
3. Never be afraid to be the rookie in any setting. Rookies are eager to learn. Rookies have a lot of room for improvement, and you always want to have that room.
4. Build a community, no matter how big or small. Your community will get you in check and will push you through the hard times.
5. It is never about you, but your perspective and insight are important.

Mia Montayre

Photographer & Social Media Manager, Philippine Women’s National Football Team

Few know the Filipinas like Mia Montayre does; that’s because she’s been covering the team for over a decade.

It’s no secret that the Filipinas have reached a new stratosphere in Pinoy sports popularity. Their historic FIFA World Cup run has turned breakout stars like Sarina Bolden and Sara Eggesvik into household names. Families are packing stadiums, fans are buying merch, and the brand deals are coming in. The Filipinas are a winning bet, and everyone’s here for it.

Filipinas fandom is booming, but only a few supporters can say there were there since day 1. Mia is one of them. Back when the Filipinas were the Malditas and before they were trending, Mia was there to support the team. At their games, you’d find her on the sidelines with a camera in hand, taking photos of the action. She and the national team would use these photos to promote our athletes online, and Mia did this all for the love of the game.

“I have been working for the Philippine women’s national football team for more than a decade, at first voluntarily and only officially just recently,” Mia shared. “I take photos of athletes and post highlights of them on social media. I also write stories and feature articles of our amazing women athletes in my spare time.”

It took a while for Pinay football to take off, but when it did, make no mistake: Mia was there for the ride. “I was [the Filipinas] team photographer at the historic FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 in New Zealand,” she said. This was the ultimate reward for a die-hard supporter of the team.

Besides her work behind the lens, Mia has found other ways to grow the game of football. In 2017, she launched the Pinay Futbolera of the Year award to annually honor the best Filipina football athletes. This award is given out until today through Pinay Futbol and the Philippine Women’s Football Association.

Mia’s advice to aspiring #WomenInSportsMedia:

Don’t be discouraged by the lack of women in the industry, once you forget about the lines and differences things will open up for you more.

Aia Del Mundo Durrance

Founder-CEO, Malaya Creatives

Aia is living proof that when one door shuts, another opens–and if needed, you can build your own door and walk through it.

Aia’s journey in sports media has been a rollercoaster. She worked at ABS-CBN Sports alongside other media women. Lo and behold, ABS-CBN was forced to close in 2020, effectively releasing Aia and her team. And just when things seemed hopeless, Smart Sports came knocking. They hired her along with her former ABS teammates as freelancers, and Aia acted as head of content and operations for Puso Pilipinas.

“At Puso Pilipinas, we’re not news; we’re storytellers,” she shared. “We don’t treat the athletes as subjects or stories; we’re genuinely curious about them.” According to Aia, the Puso Pilipinas team has grown in number and is 90% female.

Still working as freelancers, Aia and former-ABS officemate Cleverlyn Mayuga decided to put up their own production agency, Malaya Creatives. Aia notice that there was a culture of scoop mentality or narrative control in the industry that she didn’t subscribe to, which led to this new venture. “I wanted to prove that there’s a space for every story and for everyone,” said Aia.

This was a pivotal move, as it opened the door to a milestone creative project: Puso In Paris 2024, a docu-series about our national athletes.

Aia and her team traveled the globe to document the lives and training of the MVP Sports Foundation Olympians. “We had that privilege to follow their stories prior to their Olympic medal moments,” she shared. “It was really close to my heart, one of the best experiences.” This project was rewarding in more ways than one, as it was recognized at the 60th Silver Anvil Awards for Best Use of Digital.

Aia’s advice to aspiring #WomenInSportsMedia:

Some say it’s a disadvantaged position to be a woman in sports, but that hasn’t been my experience. I feel so empowered in sports. It’s fun to be a woman in sports. My advice would be: Find the right environment that will nourish you, just be genuine, and have fun.

Nikki Viola

Content Manager, WhenInManila.com

From covering sports events to attending movie premiers, from interviewing NBA stars to hosting events, Nikki Viola is no stranger to the grind.

Nikki takes on many jobs as a freelancer, but her main responsibility is creating sports and lifestyle content for When In Manila (WIM). “As a former basketball courtside reporter, I got to share behind-the-scenes stories on-cam,” said Nikki. Today, she uses WIM as a platform “to feature amazing sports events and athletes.”

Though her sports media journey has been fruitful, she dealt with plenty of negativity along the way. “[One challenge I faced] was body shaming! And people thinking [women] won’t be able to tell good stories,” she said.

Fortunately for her, she found a support group of women within the industry. In 2023, she joined the Women in News and Sports (WINS) program, under the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s International Development Unit. There, she worked with other media women, led by sports personality and WINS trainer Patricia Bermudez-Hizon. This program also presented an opportunity of a lifetime: calling a game at the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup. On August 29, Nikki and a peer commentated on the Angola versus Dominican Republic game from inside Araneta Coliseum.

According to Nikki, it was a life-changing experience that gave her that “next step” in her career.

Nikki’s advice to aspiring #WomenInSportsMedia:

I say go for it! Sports is a whole different game, but it is an inspiring journey. Also, be kind! Be it to your “competition,” especially other women. Yes, work hard for your content to be the best that it can be, but don’t tear down others along the way.

It’s also okay to make mistakes; stay humble and don’t beat yourself up!