Samantha Panlilio felt “very honored and very grateful” to be named one of People Asia’s Women of Style and Substance this year.
The former beauty queen and entrepreneur joined the list that included French ambassador Marie Fontanel, Singapore ambassador Constance See, Associate Justice Ma. Filomena Singh, Gymnastics Association of the Philippines president Cynthia Carrion, singer-concert producer Pops Fernandez and reigning Miss Universe Philippines Chelsea Manalo.
“For me, it’s kind of both recognition and a reminder that you’re going the right path and that whatever I’m doing, leadership-wise, seems very effective. It’s just very heartwarming to be able to get recognition for that. But again, ultimately, it’s a reminder to just keep going,” she told The Philippine STAR in a phone interview on Friday, a few days after the awards ceremony.
In her Women of Style and Substance feature, the former Bb. Pilipinas Grand International titleholder and heiress to the Panlilio business empire said that she doesn’t want to be reduced to being merely called COO or child of the owner.
The daughter of property magnate Jose Marcel “Jocel” Panlilio is “pursuing different passion projects” besides being chief operations officer of the family’s land holdings and leisure companies, including Puerto Azul Land Inc. and Fridays Hotels and Resorts.
“My father always tells me to keep all opportunities separate and try to seize each and every one of them. As you know business here in the Philippines, it’s pretty tough especially with the economy so you really have to have tenacity and grit. And to never stop learning, like, he always encourages me to read a book or two in a month,” she told this paper.
In an earlier interview, the 28-year-old shared how she felt about the “heiress” tag. “I feel very blessed to be able to help the family business but I think what most people don’t understand is that… I’ve been working since maybe I was 10, I’ve been sitting in business meetings,” she said.
“Sometimes during dinners, our conversations really consist of business and at a young age, I really learned how to put my family’s business first even before my own needs. Being an ‘heiress,’ I think, yes, it has a good ring to it but also a huge responsibility.”
This writer first met Samantha when she was a 25-year-old Binibini, who simply described herself as an information management graduate who’s been helping out in the family business. While she initially didn’t imagine herself as a beauty queen, she told us then that she wanted “to challenge myself, put myself out of my comfort zone, discover things I can be passionate about. I have an advocacy and want to do something about it.” It’s also in her blood as the niece of Myrna Panlilio, the first Bb. Pilipinas Universe in 1954. “And it’s very relevant because pageants give people hope. They inspire people. Pageants are usually created by organizations and they support so many charities like BPCI.”
Looking back on her pageantry experience, the US-educated Samantha said, “I was away from the Philippines for seven years. I would come back for vacation and whatnot. When I came back, I told my dad I wanna accomplish something on my own and in a different industry that is not related to the family business. I just wanted to accomplish something on my own.”
“Because that’s what I had been doing in L.A. Syempre, it’s different in the U.S., you have to do everything for yourself. So, I really worked my way up the ladder, and I wanted to do that also here in the Philippines, in a different industry. I also, of course, wanted to build better connections with like-minded, strong women. I just thought it would be a good way to reconnect with the Filipino culture also.
“We were actually the longest Binibini batch ever. We were put on hold for almost a year because of the pandemic. But, you know, even though there was a pandemic, we were always encouraged to help other people, so all the more na gusto mo pang lumaban. And yeah, that time, so many people had lost hope, they lost homes, and some people couldn’t even eat, you know? I knew that if I really fought hard enough, that my advocacies, or the groups or the causes that I support, would also benefit from it.”
Samantha said she has been involved in causes since high school, which started out as out-of-school projects. “And also with my dad, he’s always taught me to give back to the community. Again, because we are in land development, so meaning, when we develop a certain area, like let’s say, Cavite, we also wanna make sure our employees prosper as well because our business cannot be successful without the success also of the community around us. So, I guess ever since I was younger, I’ve always been taught to give back.”
But it was through pageantry where she really “found a calling that you want to help a greater community, not just your own. It really opened up the doors to different communities, people and organizations that you can work with, and it drove my passion for it. Because when you look at pageantry, akala mo glitz and glam lang but it’s really not. At the end of the day, a lot of these funds are given back to the NGOs, and the people who make it possible.”
She has since continued her advocacies beyond the pageantry scene, finally setting up this year her own foundation named Pangarap At Kalinga Foundation with projects primarily focused — or at least for now — on youth empowerment. Her first project is the construction of four new classrooms at the Ternate National High School in her hometown in Cavite. She was a judge at the beauty pageant Miss Maragondon when she learned about the classroom problem from a local official. One classroom construction costs around P800,000, she said. “We have different sponsors for the foundation. We have actually been live-selling my old bags and clothes to raise funds also. We also have partners like Radisson and my dad’s company. It’s a team effort.” Next big project is a boat for the students who have to cross the sea to a school in Bohol.
Besides the family business and her foundation, she also runs her own photography studio and is set to launch her makeup line and furniture business.
She appeared open to accepting showbiz projects, especially that one of her dreams is starring in a horror movie. “I don’t know, I’ve always been a fan of ‘Shake, Rattle & Roll,’ gusto kong sumigaw! I think it’s freeing hahaha! I think it will be fun. I want to work with Jodi Sta. Maria, I’ve always idolized her acting skills, and Piolo Pascual. The fact that he’s also a businessman, I have so much respect for him.”
But a new chapter — public service — could be unfolding for her, as she announced on Instagram that she filed her candidacy for second nominee of the regional, multi-sector AGIMAT party-list. A decision “that may have come as a surprise,” but “wasn’t one I took lightly,” she wrote.
Meanwhile, asked what her everyday schedule nowadays is like, she said she starts her day at 5 a.m. with a workout — golf, muay thai, etc. — then goes to work. When she comes home, she will then work on her other projects. In terms of diet, she does fasting. “It proves that it helps your mind and the way you think as well, so there’s a lot of health benefits to it.”
Does Samantha still have time for love? With her status not to mention schedule, it could scare a lot of guys. “I hope not,” she reacted.
“But right now, I would say I’m married to my work and the things I wanna accomplish,” said the entrepreneur, who’s also a proud furmom to LadyPan (named after a direwolf character from her favorite show “Game of Thrones” and is a “influencer” in her own right with pet brand ads and endorsements).
“But if I had to describe a type of guy (I’d want to date), I’d say tall, no less than six feet, and balbas sarado,” she quipped. Then turning a little serious, she added, “Someone who is gentle, like someone who has a good heart, of course. That’s No. 1. And someone who is very decent.”
Samantha is one of People Asia’s ‘Women of Style and Substance’ this year. She’s also part of the publication’s October-November issue cover.
Samantha Panlilio
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