It was on March 1, 1988 when former Philippine President, Corazon C. Aquino, signed Proclamation No. 224 to declare that the first week of March of every year be Women’s Week and March 8 as Women’s Rights and International Peace Day. On March 17, 1988, she also signed Proclamation No. 227 to declare March as Women’s Role in History Month.
For 2016, the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) chose the theme: “Kapakanan ni Juana, Isama sa Agenda” (Include Women in the Agenda). According to PCW, “The theme resonates the call for gender-balance in leadership and decision making positions both in public and private sector; inclusion of women’s concerns in leadership platforms and the government’s development agenda; and capacitating and preparing women and girls to reach their ambitions.”
The Institute for Solidarity in Asia joins the celebration of Women’s Month by featuring Filipinas in government. Some of the pioneers were Cecilia Muñoz-Palma, the first woman Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines; Carmen Planas, the first woman City Councilor of Manila; Geronima Pecson, the first woman senator; and Corazon Aquino, the first woman president.
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Pictured from left to right: Cecilia Muñoz-Palma, Carmen Planas, Geronima Pecson, and Corazon Aquino.
From the approval of women’s suffrage on April 30, 1937 until the present, unfortunately, women are still the minority, occupying only a small percentage of seats in government even with an increase of female representation over the years. Nonetheless, those who ran and were elected for office continue to fight for women’s rights and contribute to the construction of government platforms and policies.
To contact the writer of this story, send an email to Kirsten Ramos at [email protected].
Sources
http://pcw.gov.ph/event/2016-national-womens-month-celebration
http://www.gov.ph/featured/women-in-government/
Photos courtesy of kahimyang.info, flickr.com, and newscentral.ph[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]