Both young women are already thinking of the bigger picture of why they do what they do.
Keep an eye out for Ella Fajardo and Jhaz Joson—you’re looking at the future of the Philippines’ women’s basketball program.
Born and raised in New Jersey, Fajardo began making her name heard in the Philippines in 2019, when she and her teammates won bronze at the FIBA 3x3 U18 Asia Cup. Then, she helped Gilas Pilipinas Women defend the Philippines’ gold medal at the 31st Southeast Asian Games. Meanwhile, Los Angeles native Joson made a name for herself in the UAAP, where she was a leader on the floor for the Ateneo women’s basketball team, earning herself a Mythical 5 citation in UAAP Season 85.
Both women have achieved much, yet are still early in their careers. One can imagine a future where they’ve established themselves in the same way that the likes of longtime national team players Afril Bernardino, Gemma Miranda, and Janine Pontejos have—and it’s exciting to see how the future will play out.
With a bright future ahead and progress being made in growing women’s basketball in the Philippines, Fajardo and Joson reflect on what being an empowered woman means to them.
“[An empowered woman] is someone who’s not afraid to use her voice to advocate for women’s equality,” says Fajardo. “Someone who is not afraid to pave the way for the future leaders in sports, work, and everyday lifestyles—no matter what our culture says about women’s ‘limitations’ or what we can or can’t do.”
Holding the door open for younger girls to run through is personal for Fajardo, whose younger sisters both play basketball. Her 14-year-old sister Ava has already made her debut with the Gilas Pilipinas Women’s U16 team in 2022.
For Joson, being empowered is a combination of excellence in what you do, and your character off the court.
“Someone who encourages other female athletes to push the limits, and makes sacrifices to achieve her own ambitions,” she says. “I go hard by making progress every day, keeping persistent and committed to my training every day, and not giving up no matter how difficult it is.”
Both young women are already thinking of the bigger picture of why they do what they do.
“I try to invest a lot of time and prayer in my walk with God and also sharing my faith,” Fajardo shares. Fajardo creates video diaries that document her daily life of training and responsibilities as an NCAA Division 1 student-athlete, as well as her reflections on her spirituality.
And as if echoing Ateneo’s emphasis on being “men and women for others,” for Joson, each achievement will be a platform to advocate for other women. She says: “I want to demonstrate the need for greater visibility for women in sports by demonstrating our capacity for athletic excellence.”