MORE ANGRY WOMEN WANTED

The records of women entering high government service posts are appalling. Within a year, three have been replaced, disgracefully, and replaced by men. 

Gina Lopez, secretary of the Dept of Environment and Natural Resources, was first, as she fought for the right of a healthy environment for our country; but the mining lobbyists are much more influential. (May 3, 2017)

Next was Judy Taguiwalo, secretary of the Dept of Social Welfare and Development whose heart and mind are in the right pace -- for the poor, the deprived and the oppressed sectors of our society. She was dismissed because of underground talks about her ties to the left, which she never denied. So, her leaving the post shows that it is impossible to have a government of different colors, although the missions are the same. (August 16, 2017)

Third, Dr. Paulyn Jean Rosell-Ubial, secretary of Health,  despite her long service in the government was not deemed fit to head the office. (October 10, 2017)

Are these not glaring evidences of the violation of the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women or CEDAW? Here is a brief statement of the UN Convention to which our country is signatory:

The Convention provides the basis for realizing equality between women and men through ensuring women's equal access to, and equal opportunities in, political and public life -- including the right to vote and to stand for election -- as well as education, health and employment. States parties agree to take all appropriate measures, including legislation and temporary special measures, so that women can enjoy all their human rights and fundamental freedoms. 

It was adopted on by the UN General Assembly on December 18, 1979, and got adopted as an international treaty on 3 September 1981 after the twentieth country had ratified it. 

So, after having had two female presidents, our country is back to square one, with the kangaroo court of the Commission on Appointments  REJECTING WOMEN'S PARTICIPATION IN RUNNING THIS COUNTRY. 

Here is what the RA 9710 Magna Carta for Women issued on August 14, 2009 and signed by Gloria Macapagal, says about women's rights:in its Policy Declaration: 

Recognizing that the economic, political, and sociocultural realities affect women’s current condition, the State affirms the role of women in nation building and ensures the substantive equality of women and men. It shall promote empowerment of women and pursue equal opportunities for women and men and ensure equal access to resources and to development results and outcome. Further, the State realizes that equality of men and women entails the abolition of the unequal structures and practices that perpetuate discrimination and inequality. To realize this, the State shall endeavor to develop plans, policies, programs, measures, and mechanisms to address discrimination and inequality in the economic, political, social, and cultural life of women and men.

The State condemns discrimination against women in all its forms and pursues by all appropriate means and without delay the policy of eliminating discrimination against women in keeping with the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and other international instruments consistent with Philippine law. The State shall accord women the rights, protection, and opportunities available to every member of society.

The State affirms women’s rights as human rights and shall intensify its efforts to fulfill its duties under international and domestic law to recognize, respect, protect, fulfill, and promote all human rights and fundamental freedoms of women, especially marginalized women, in the economic, social, political, cultural, and other fields without distinction or discrimination on account of class, age, sex, gender, language, ethnicity, religion, ideology, disability, education, and status.

Meanwhile, we also have the GAD or Republic Act 7192, the Women in Development and Nation Building Act - AN ACT PROMOTING THE INTEGRATION OF WOMEN AS FULL AND EQUAL PARTNERS OF MEN IN DEVELOPMENT AND NATION BUILDING AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. It declares that the State recognizes the role of women in nation building and shall ensure the fundamental equality before the law of women and men. The State shall provided women rights and opportunities equal to that of men. 

This was signed into law by President Corazon Aquino, the first woman president of our country,  in 1991. 

In other words, the acts of the Commission on Appointments go against what have been established as policies of the UN and the Philippine government itself. 

Why is machismo so strong in our society? Acting Social Welfare Secretary is a man. The new health secretary is also a man. Then the DENR secretary is a former military man. 

My goodness, this country is kicking out Filipino women from the most sensitive posts of government very easily. 

It is time to examine the composition of the Commission on Appointments -- why are they anti-women? 

But before we do that, we should feel anger, not sadness. We should feel revolted by what is happening to women to us. If you will examine the news, women are getting killed easily as well as the men. So much violence exists. No longer is there respect for the kabaro of our our grandmothers, our mothers, our daughters,  our granddaughters. 

Artwork by JamesFrancow.tumbir.com

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