Karen Davila on Girl Power
Today is International Women’s Day and our Calyxta Cover Girl Karen Davila talks to us about her power as today’s top journalist. She starts the day live with her TV program, “Headstart” on ANC, then in the afternoon, she goes live on radio with “Pasada Sais Trenta” on DZMM. Late at night, she heads back to ABS-CBN to broadcast the midnight news on “Bandila.” In between her shows, she works on “My Puhunan,” her magazine program on entrepreneurs. She also manages to squeeze in the events, ceremonies, and photo shoots like this one.
Truly a packed schedule for Karen! But her family still feels she’s always present because she makes it a point to drop in on her sons, David and Lucas, throughout the day. She brings them to school, perhaps even have lunch at home, definitely has dinner with her family, and when everyone’s in bed, that’s when she goes off to work again.
Karen Davila is a woman who has it all—a successful career, a happy home life, not to mention her beauty and brains! How does she do it? In our exclusive chat with the wife/mom/journalist, she reveals just how.
“That’s what I’ve always aimed to be—to be hardworking and with an unquestionable integrity.”
Journalism is—was?—mostly an old boys’ club. How do you move so fearlessly yet so stylishly in a man’s world?
Perhaps in the 60’s and 70’s it was a man’s world for journalism, but I don’t think so today. Many women have opened the doors for women like me. Barbara Walters, now 80, was the first to have anchored a primetime newscast in the U.S. and a lot has happened since then. Television needs both men and women, but more than gender, it needs passionate and talented people. And that’s what I’ve always aimed to be – to be hardworking and one with an unquestionable integrity.
You’re a tough woman and you’re also very feminine. How do you wield your femininity to advance in your career? It feels like it’s a lose-lose situation sometimes because if we’re tough, we’re a bitch. If we’re yielding, we’re weak. If we play up our physical attributes, we’re a slut. How do you do it so well?
Being feminine shouldn’t diminish our capabilities. Many women used to think that to be taken seriously, they shouldn’t look like women in the workplace. I don’t believe that. Being a bitch and a slut are a whole other story though. I don’t think much of women who sleep with the boss just to get a leg up in their career. It’s cheap. If women want to be respected in the workplace, then we should also act respectably and professionally. Being a bitch or a diva on the other hand is just bad PR, bad behavior—whether you’re a man or a woman. We shouldn’t always think of our behavior on the basis of gender. Good values, good behavior, professionalism are timeless. Start from there.
“It is by building other people up, that we build ourselves.”
When we first met, I noticed how generous you were about suggesting other female journalists we can feature. Many women are fiercely competitive with each other. Have you always been this generous towards other women?
Envy is the worst of sins. While it is normal to feel jealous or envious at times, or even insecure, we must consciously fight it every day by being grateful, focusing on what’s positive and good. I’m quite secure in my track record, my capabilities and, honestly, God’s grace. It is by building other people up, that we build ourselves. Women are the worst to each other, I think more than men are, and I have always been conscious not to fall into that trap.
What is your motto or philosophy when it comes to achieving your dreams or even living your life?
Life owes you nothing. Nothing will be given to you in a silver platter. The only barrier to success is you.
What concerns you most given that you are a woman?
My family. My children. My health. The love and compassion I give out. That sums up what’s in my heart.
“The only barrier to success is you.”
Next week, Karen Davila opens up about aging and what she thinks about girls who aren’t proud of their age.
Text By: FRANCES SALES
Photography: JOSEPH PASCUAL
Videography: ANDREW APUYA
Makeup: JIGS MAYUGA
Hair: MACKY HILARIO
Styling: BC STYLE STUDIO
On Karen: EMBROIDERED GOWN, INNO SOTTO (Karen’s own);
LEATHER CORD USED AS CHOKER, FIND SIMILAR AT SM ACCESSORIES.
