MANILA — Some aspiring female athletes celebrated International Women's Day with two of the country's best female boxers, Saturday, March 8 at the Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.

2024 Paris Olympic Boxing Bronze Medalist Aira Villegas and five-time SEA Games Boxing gold medalist Josie Gabuco coached all female participants in an exclusive event this morning.

Athletes participated in a sparring event and boxing exercise followed by a question and answer portion with the two boxing icons.

"Today nagcelebrate kami ng International Women's day with this event titled "StrongHER together" boxing event siya exclusively for girls and for women. Sobrang encouraging to see that there are girls that start boxing, [kasi] sa panahon ko hindi nakikita ang mga kabataan nagboboxing. Pero ito nakikita natin na nagsisimula na sa sila na mas bata," sila Beatrice Go, founder of Atleta Filipina and one of the organizers of the event.

Villegas said that she's honored to be invited in the event and to see that there are a growing number of athletes wanting to pursue a professional career in martial arts.

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"Sobrang honored po ako na naimbitahan po kami sa event na ito kasi marami kaming ma-iinspire na mga atleta at tao na sumubok po sa martial arts lalo na boxing," she said.

"Sa panahon ngayon kung anong kayang gawin ng mga kalalakihan ay kaya na rin gawin ng mga kababaihan," she added.

 AIBA World Boxing Champion Gabuco echoed that same statement and said that there are many talented Filipinas who have what it takes to shine inside the boxing ring.

"Mahalaga ito para sa empowerment ng mga kababaihan kasi gusto natin sila ma-motivate at mainspire na hindi lang ang mga kallakihan ang may kayang pumasok sa sports na ito, kundi pati kababaihan," she said.

"Kaya natin makipagsabayan sa kanila, kahit sa international and olympics ay napatunayan na nila Aira [villegas] and Nesty [Petecio] na kaya natin," she added.