Asst. Prof. Ma. Afrecita Nieva serves as the chairperson of the Makati PNP Station Advisory Group for Police Transformation and Develop (SAGPTD), and as part of her extension work, she offered to organize an event aimed to give the women of the Makati PNP a respite from the daily administrative and operations work. This is to improve morale and boost employee engagement, reduce stress, and inspire them to become better leaders. 

The two-day celebration consisted of pampering and learning sessions for the female PNP officers. Asst. Prof. Nieva allowed entrepreneurial PNP personnel to set up pop-up shops and booths around the grounds of the Makati PNP headquarters. This encouraged them to promote their businesses and generate additional income during the celebration. Simultaneously, a Beauty and Wellness Area was also happening that offered free haircuts and makeup services, sponsored by Reyes Haircutters and Mary Kay Cosmetics. By the afternoon, an Art Healing Session was given by a Licensed Art Therapy Practitioner. The session was designed specifically for the women of the Makati PNP who have braved every trial and tribulation in a space designed and made by men. The art session allowed these women to navigate through challenges that accompany their uniformed professions and allowed a moment of reflection and recognition of strength and resilience.

Should this be organized by any other member, it would not be as grand as this. Some would have to pay out of pocket for the simple get-together for women’s month, but Asst. Prof. Nieva made it work. She had utilized and taken advantage of her connections and resources to give these women an experience that they didn’t know they needed. The celebration left them empowered, instilled a newfound bravery and resilience to persist in the male-dominated space, and gave them takeaways that would not only bleed into their professional and uniformed lives but also in the home as parents, breadwinners, and most importantly, as women.