WOMEN IN PHILIPPINE POLITICS WhyAre They Underrepresented?

By: Samantha Lacuna

Patriarchal

This is one of the words that describe the Philippine Political Scene The constant efforts to push women forward in leadership and government positions are usually shunned with hostility However, while women have broken significant barriers in Patriarchal Philippines, the country has not moved on from this ancient belief system, and the question remains:

Why are women underrepresented in Philippine politics?

Perhaps this has a lot to do with history

According to numerous research, indigenous women in the pre-colonial Philippines enjoyed high status and privilege They were part of social discourse and were valued participants in making decisions for their respective homes and communities However, there was a significant shift under colonial rule The Spanish brought several socioeconomic phenomena that facilitated changes in society, such as the social being of women Those who once were equals to men became subjects and servants of their husbands, their families, the church, and society

Unfortunately, the years of western colonization have not left the nation entirely Breadcrumbs of western culture and beliefs are still evident despite modernization A perfect example of this would be the patriarchal culture among Filipinos With over 300 years of western colonization, the Filipinos were groomed to believe that women are second to men

In the Global Gender Gap report of 2021 presented by the World Economic Forum, the Philippines placed 17th among 156 countries close to bridging the gap between men and women in government This report also stated that the Philippines took the 33rd spot in political empowerment for women With these statistics, it might seem like we are doing well regarding gender equality However, our current congress only has seven women out of 24 In the Philippine government, women only hold 28% of congressional positions and 13% of ministerial positions These numbers are not enough We are still underrepresented

Furthermore, a study by the Philippine Institute of Development Studies states that men dominate the country's cabinet positions While, the health, tourism, and social welfare sectors have more female participation, economic, finance, and foreign sectors are more male-dominated

#EQUALITY4ALL: SOGIE Bill Approved at the Senate Committee Level

Senate Bill No 1600, commonly known as the SOGIESC Equality Act, has finally gained approval at the senate committee level, two decades after the filing of its first version Truly, a remarkable indicator that we have indeed come a long way to have a senate bill, the first of its kind in our country, finally take huge leaps toward victory At long last, genderbased discrimination isn’t only recognized, but also abhorred and being taken legal and justifiable action against However, to truly encapsulate the noteworthy win the said senate bill attained, it is best to be aware of what it has gone through and what it fights for After all, a victory can only be truly cherished by those who understand what was accomplished and what it took to do so

To know the SOGIESC Equality Act better, an article published in 2020 by Atty Deslate provided clarifications regarding the specifics of its predecessor bill Concepts of sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression, along with other terms of pertinent relation to the aforementioned, are introduced and defined suitably to serve as a fitting guide for the intricate details of the bill With this matter settled right off the bat, lists are cited which contain the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community and the practices or customs considered discriminatory and unlawful, citing along with their corresponding punishments, in accordance with the bill This senate bill isn’t just a mere means of providing justice to those who have been wronged due to what they identify as, but also a preventive measure to assure that no such discriminatory thing would ever be executed again

Throughout the years, the blatant show of discrimination and disregard towards the rights of those who merely expressed their preferred gender orientation or sexual identity has risen beyond the alarming state Not being able to tick “female” when filling out a form, getting called using their dead names, obtaining a high chance of being bullied at work, and having no legal rights to file a complaint for being denied an interview, are only some among the plenty dishonorable situations the transgender community find themselves facing according to an article published in 2021 from The Fuller Project

While the data are relatively sound, the underrepresentation of women in the Philippine government is still taking a toll on our country

Anne Philips, Professor of Political and Gender Theory at the London School of Economics,states that overrepresentation in government can also mean overrepresentation in opinion Consequently, the gender of politicians leading our government influences their priorities, platforms, and vision for the country, ultimately affecting the people's future Former congresswoman, Sol Aragones makes this a point in an interview for a study on women ’ s political representation in the Philippines She emphasizes the importance of having more women in Philippine politics, and for more people to fight for women ’ s rights As per the report of the Philippine Commssion on Women in 2018, there are only 15 laws in the Philippine constitution that advocate women ’ s rights Fifteen Republic Acts out of thousands These are not enough

While the Philippines is at the forefront of bridging gaps between genders in the political scene, we still have a long way to go The reality of Patriarchal Philippines that is deeply rooted in our history still has to be constantly challenged by ideals of gender equality and equity because, beneath the influence of western colonzation, lies a culture that honors both men and women equally

By: Christie Cadiz

Then there’s also the concerning matter of schools imposing rigid gender norms, such as unjustifiable hair length restrictions and gendered uniforms or dress codes, that the youth members of the LGBTQIA+ community are forced to shoulder on a day-to-day basis And the disturbing reality is, these aren’t even half of the most unfortunate scenarios members of the LGBTQIA+ community have been fighting against; for it’s not just their reputations that are affected, but their lives as well

There is no jesting involved when one says that the fight for the approval of an anti-discrimination bill, on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, and sexual characteristics, is an uphill battle Starting with the filing of House Bill No 4982 in the 11th Congress by the late Sen Miriam Defensor-Santiago and Akbayan Rep Etta Rosales The first version of the bill was left pending for nearly two decades before having passed its third reading on the 17th Congress, however, it was only due to Sen Risa Hontiveros sponsoring Senate Bill No 1934, a predecessor of Senate Bill No 1600, that the greatest achievement so far for the LGBTQIA+ community in our country has been attained Considered the longestrunning bill in our country in 2019, it truly is a huge triumph to have the first Anti-Discrimination Bill, on the basis of SOGIESC, be approved by the House of Representatives After years of lives and rights stepped on, we finally have a senate-approved bill to penalize discrimination, marginalization, and violence based on SOGIESC

The victory of having the SOGIESC Equality Act approved is in no way a symbol to undermine, slight, or attack any religious groups The bill merely ensures that everyone, despite their sex, gender, age, class, disability, religion, and political beliefs is of equal standing concerning their human rights After all, having a preferred gender and sexuality is a choice not just exclusive to one group but to every human being These are progressive times, how is it still considered a scandalous issue to fight for equal rights for all? With the senate’s approval of the SOGIESC Equality Act in December 2022, it is only just that we delight in a battle won for the LGBTQIA+ community; for we cannot ensure equal rights for every Filipino citizen if a single community’s rights are neglected