Atty. Gloria Estenzo-Ramos
March 8 is celebrated globally as International Women’s Day.
The first International Women’s Day was held in 1911. Thousands of events occur to mark the economic, political and social achievements of women. Organisations, governments, charities, educational institutions, women’s groups, corporations and the media celebrate the day. Themes vary each year. The 2014 theme of the International Women’s Day is“Inspiring Changes” (www.internationalwomensday.com).
In the Philippines, a national law, Republic Act 6949, declared March 8 of every year as National Women’s Day. The entire month of March is in fact considered Women’s Month.
According to the Philippine Commission of Women (PCW), “This year’s celebration of Women’s Month pays tribute to the strong and resilient ‘Juanas’ who brought inspiring changes here in the country and across the globe.” It adds that “The 2014 Women’s Month Celebration is the best time to highlight the ‘drivers of change’ who untiringly volunteered themselves in times of disaster, conflict and calamity. This celebration recognizes the role of women in the rehabilitation process and their over-all contributions to progress (www.pcw.gov.ph/event/2014-womens-month-celebration).”
No one questions why women are accorded special recognition. Undoubtedly, they perform a pivotal role in molding the character of children and generations thereafter. They can always be relied upon to take on daunting tasks head on, even at a risk to their lives.
Indeed, when one speaks of strength and resiliency, the person that immediately comes to the mind is the person closest to our hearts—our mother. She is the epitome of womanhood—nurturing, patient, persevering, yet a prized fighter for the rights of children, women and our environment.
The transition from a dreamy-eyed bride to a 24/7 mom is a step-by-step process of learning and unlearning, almost always the hard way, and trusting one’s instinct to know what is best for her, her children and family.
Like a chameleon, they can adapt to life’s most challenging trials but will never give up being the source of strength to her family and the community. We do not miss that glint of pain encapsulated by sheer determination in the eyes of mothers and women survivors of calamities and disasters. Women suffer the most in these tragic circumstances.
Motherhood can be the most challenging and fulfilling responsibility of a lifetime. It requires a magnificent balancing skill to address the exigencies of the moment. Guided by intuition, her response may not be easy to understand from the perspective of her children or even her husband/partner. Raising kids, each with their unique and evolving personality is a constant learning opportunity to help shape the character of a human being, and, being definitely sharpened, changed and vastly enriched in the process.
Mothers may come in different “packages.” They can be bubbly or have reserved demeanor, traditional or way ahead of her time and amazingly, they can be all of these, depending on circumstances. But, they all share one common bond—their boundless love for their children. This a shared passion that immediately connects her to fellow women and an endearing legacy to a diverse and increasingly complex and detached world.
The National Women’s Day and Women’s Month rightfully are a tribute to our mothers and the women who act as surrogate mothers to the family, society and the world. They are a celebration of the gains and achievements and recognition of the women as transformative drivers of change and reforms.
This month should likewise provide the opportunity for reevaluation of the ongoing challenges faced by the women, especially in the era of climate crisis, and possible reforms to improve their status and their effective participation in policy-making. One such urgent reform area is the institutionalization of the local sectoral representation, a mechanism for leveling the playing field for marginalized sectors such as the women.
The Philippines is definitely not lagging behind in legislation that protects the rights of women. Women have equal rights as men, as guaranteed by the Constitution and the Magna Carta for Women and other laws that implements the Convention for the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, including the Local Government Code (the “Code”). But, for as long as their right to be represented in the local sanggunian is closed, despite the clear provision of the Constitution and the Code, reforms for their protection will remain in the arena of promises—empty promises, that is. Women are equal under the law but not equal in reality.
Implement the Local Sectoral Representation (LSR) for each sanggunian the soonest time. This is a challenge hurled not just to the Philippine Commission for Women and the dynamic civil society but to the government agency tasked to craft the implementing guidelines of the LSR – the Commission on Elections.
If we truly recognize our women’s contribution to development and in decision-making, then, why the foot-dragging in mainstreaming LSR in every sanggunian?
There is no better time to do so than now, faced as we all are by the stark crisis and challenges in governance.