A public interest lawyer is announced as among the honorees in this year’s The Outstanding Women in the Nation’s Service (TOWNS) awards.
National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers-National Capital Region secretary general Kristina Conti is honored for her human rights work and joins 14 other women feted as “catalysts for change, unity, and progress.”
A young and prominent lawyer in the country, Conti has tangled with human rights violators in the military, the police and even the likes of former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte.
In fact, the awardee is in The Hague in The Netherlands to assist families of victims of Duterte’s bloody drug war when her latest achievement was announced.
Duterte was supposed to be arraigned at the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity next week.
For playing a vital role in exposing systemic human rights violations in the Philippines, Conti endures threats and harassments herself.
In a message, Conti expressed thanks to the TOWNS Foundation for the award.
“Napakahalaga nito sa panahon ng galit at ligalig, sa panahon ng kawalang-pananagutan, sa panahon ng pagkakawatak-watak, sa panahon ng labis na pasanin ng ordinaryong mamamayan. Sa pagtutukoy ng mga kakabaihang kayang tumindig, lumaban, kumalinga, at tumugon sa hamon ngayon, pinapahalagahan natin ang lakas ng kababaihan bilang lakas ng bayan.” – TOWNS 2025 awardee Atty. Kristina Conti
Conti said the award is an affirmation of her past as well as future work as a public interest lawyer.
She also paid tribute to her fellow awardees who she said are her comrades in demanding accountability from corrupt officials in government and criminals against humanity.
The other TOWNS 2025 awardees are:
- 𝐀𝐭𝐭𝐲. 𝐒𝐡𝐚 𝐄𝐥𝐢𝐣𝐚𝐡 𝐃𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐦𝐚-𝐀𝐥𝐛𝐚 – Peace Building & Good Governance
- 𝐉𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐥𝐚 𝐀𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐚 𝐀𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐠𝐚𝐧– Courageous & Honest Journalism
- 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐌𝐎 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐮𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐧̃𝐨-𝐃𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐨– Maritime Law Enforcement & Public Service
- 𝐌𝐚. 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐯𝐞 𝐃𝐮𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐨 – Financial Empowerment
- 𝐃𝐫. 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐛𝐞𝐥 𝐅𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐨 𝐄𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐯𝐚– Environmental Science for Local Learning Communities
- 𝐌𝐚𝐲𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐢 𝐃𝐣𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐚 𝐇𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐧– Peacebuilding, Courageous Governance & Socio-Economic Development
- 𝐃𝐫. 𝐉𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐞 𝐉𝐨𝐜𝐬𝐨𝐧– Innovations in Teacher Education & Access
- 𝐃𝐞𝐩𝐮𝐭𝐲 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐍𝐮𝐫-𝐀𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐞 𝐓𝐚𝐧-𝐋𝐢𝐦– Ethical Public Service, Social Services & Development
- 𝐆𝐚𝐢𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐜𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐫𝐮𝐳-𝐌𝐚𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐥– Information Technology & Entrepreneurship
- 𝐃𝐫. 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐚 𝐂𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐨 𝐌𝐚𝐠𝐧𝐨 – Financial Accountability & Good Governance
- 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞 𝐐𝐮𝐢𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐚𝐨 𝐎𝐬𝐢𝐚𝐥 – Business Innovation & Corporate Citizenship
- 𝐂𝐨𝐥. 𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐥 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐡 𝐏𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚– Cybersecurity, Military Service & Transformative Community Engagement
- 𝐃𝐫. 𝐊𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐀𝐧𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐬 – Public Health Service, Research & Leadership
- 𝐆𝐞𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐚 𝐀𝐧𝐧 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐳 𝐘𝐚𝐧𝐠– Innovations in Local Governance & Education
Conti said TOWNS Foundation is a special institution that recognizes modern-day Gabriela Silangs, Urdujas and Maria Orosas
Conti was a graduate of the University of Philippines (UP) College of Media and Communication
She was also elected UP Student Regent while a student of the UP College of Law. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)
