Still in the Game
These Filipinas aren’t defying age—they’re redefining endurance, identity, and what it means to be well at every stage.
They say life begins at 40—but for many women, it’s a moment of reckoning, a time when the body begins to change in subtle, but significant ways. Metabolism slows down, recovery takes longer, and hormones start shifting. It’s the perfect excuse to start taking it easy.
But not for Maricel Laxa-Pangilinan, Felicia Hung Atienza and Bubbles Paraiso.
Kieran Punay
At 55, Laxa-Pangilinan, actress, author and mother of five, continues to embrace fitness as a cherished tradition with her husband and children. The triathlete, swimming champ, and runner who has completed the world’s most prestigious marathons continues to make sure she moves every day. For her, fitness is about joy, connection, and embracing the fullness of life.
Kieran Punay
Atienza—conservationist, educator, and mom of three—is a picture of strength. And we don’t just mean her rock-hard abs. The 56-year-old blends a scientific understanding of well-being with a joyful dedication to fitness and community. Her approach to wellness is holistic. For her, longevity is about more than just physical strength—it’s about nurturing the whole self, from nutrition to relationships to mindset.
Kieran Punay
Actress, model, and triathlete Bubbles Paraiso, 41, defied medical odds to keep doing what she loves: move. Diagnosed with a serious autoimmune condition that threatened to stop her active lifestyle, she refused to give up. Her story is a testament to the power of faith, grit, and an unwavering love for movement.
For these three women, age is not a barrier, but a motivator. They train smarter, they nourish their bodies, and they prioritize recovery and mental well-being as much as physical strength. They keep moving—not for medals or records, but for the sheer joy of feeling alive in their own skin. They listen to their bodies, trust their intuition, rewrite the rules, and show us that at any age—but especially after 40—fitness isn’t really just about how you look. It’s about how you live.
Photographer: Kieran Punay. Art Direction: Vince Uy. Makeup: Booya. Hair: Patty Inojales.
