By Jann Medina | MAY 2026

Leadership through the Lens of a Mother 

Leading with Grit and Grace with West Dionisio 

I’ve always been fascinated of how women shaped societies and industries — from the Babaylans of pre-colonial Philippines to first wave of women who gained access to the world’s most powerful seats. These paths have been paved by our Foremothers and really proved that women are called to greatness. 

In this issue of MPT Link for the month of May, we feature one of the women leaders who mothered through her corporate journey and currently ensures that our expressway operations are running 24/7.  

Happy reading! ✨💕 

For nearly 22 years, Ms. West Dionisio has been a formidable force in the fast-paced and challenging world of expressway operations — a field initially and traditionally dominated by men. From the early days of manual transponders and managing intense public backlash over toll hikes, to today’s modern RFID systems, Ms. West has proven that true leadership is defined not by gender, but by competence and empathy. 

Ms. West’s journey into the infrastructure sector was not a planned route. A BS Chemistry graduate who initially dreamed of becoming a doctor, she started her career as a lab analyst at Universal Robina Corporation (URC) and later worked in the retail segment at SM.  

Eventually, she found her calling — in the budding — toll road industry.  

Breaking the glass ceiling  

During her early years as a customer service supervisor, she learned to face a barrage of angry motorists since the toll collection system was still new and was encountering other operational hiccups. She learned to listen without losing her composure and explain to motorists the  (then) new systems. These trials have forged her resilience and sparked trust in her team.  

Then, she took on the task to have enforcement and operations responsibilities — a team of teams who were mostly male. She then sped things up and studied the ins and outs of the business through consistent hard work. But she’s still thankful that she had a robust foundation to start. 

Fast forward to being a leader, Ms. West arms the team with confidence to act on their own judgement — because she does not leave them alone when the outcome becomes difficult. 

Her message is simple

“If the work fails, the failure belongs to the team. If the work succeeds, the credit belongs to the team and the people who carried the load”.

This leadership mantra guides her team and ensures that the spirit of teamwork is always by their side.  

When asked about her proudest moment, she highlighted the acquisition of SCTEX and what that big win meant to the people, especially the project hires. For her, securing the concession meant project-based employees could gain regular status. People who once waited for contract renewals could finally breathe with financial security and stability.

Balancing Motherhood and Corporate Life 

Expressway operations do not pause for weekends, holidays, or even during school activities; and because of this, Ms. West missed moments with her children, including childhood activities many parents would want to keep and be present. 

“When my kids were growing up, they never get to experience the annual childhood expeditions like Easter Egg Hunt and Trick or Treat — because those are our peak seasons in terms of traffic and I was on duty. That’s why I was so glad when HR launched Trick or Treat celebration here in our office, I got to be with my kids and enjoyed those events with them,” she said while reminiscing, with a playful smile adorned her face.  

She speaks of those absences with honesty and gratitude to her husband, Doy, for really stepping up on his parenting and really tried to be present in the childhood of their two children.  

But during weekends, she tries to draw boundaries and attend the Holy Mass with her family, followed by dinner, and quality time with her husband.  

Changing Tides 

The industry has changed since she started. Employers have expanded their support to women from stronger maternity benefits to providing lactation spaces to mothers. Now, there are also established policies that push for improved ratio of men and women in the workforce. 

“In our expressways, men previously dominated expressway patrol teams. Now, you observe a diverse mix. The same can be observed in our Management teams in MPTC and across the business sector. You see women leading and making decisions,” she expressed. 

She also credits her previous and current leaders in empowering and challenging her. They saw past her gender and gave opportunities based on her ability. 

Ms. West Dionisio proves that to survive in a man’s world, you don’t need to act like a man. Sometimes, the most powerful leadership tool of all is the unyielding, empathetic heart of a mother. 

As a closing, let’s reflect on Ms. West’s message to all mothers who are instrumental in keeping our expressway operations up and running:

“You are doing a good job balancing work and family. Many thanks to our secret superpowers! We are all here because of all your hard work. Don’t forget to thank the people who step in and try to fill your shoes whenever you need a break.”