Babiera: Women’s struggle not just for gender equality

MORE than the issue that women struggle for equality in terms of opportunities and rights in a patriarchal society, like the Philippines, is their humanity, Misamis Oriental Vice Governor Norris Babiera said in his speech last Friday, as world commemorated the 102nd International Women’s Day.

As a guest speaker at women’s day celebration in Alubijid town, Misamis Oriental, Babiera urged some 1,000 women to be responsible as human beings in and for all the endeavors that they take upon.

“If you are a wife, be responsible enough to love and respect your husband, if you are a mother, be responsible enough to teach and guide your children, and if you are a working mother and wife, be responsible enough to oversee that concerns in the household run smoothly,” he said.

Some people say that working mothers caused the deterioration of the younger generation and even fail to teach and guide their children toward responsible adulthood because of their careers, Babiera posited.

With this, Babiera advised women to also be aware of society’s concern and to do something that will contribute to their community’s needs without jeopardizing their prime roles as mother and wife.

“For it will be futile to serve your community, and fail your family,” he said.

Senatorial candidate Edgardo “Sonny” Angara also called on women to be vigilant in protecting their rights under Republic Act 9710, the Magna Carta of Women.

Angara admitted that both government and the private sector have yet to fully implement the provisions of the Magna Carta.

“When it comes to Magna Carta we have not fully implemented its provisions like the provision on equal representation for women in political parties. I don’t that is being followed,” he added.

The Magna Carta in the Philippines was signed in 2009 to eliminate discrimination against women by recognizing, protecting, fulfilling and promoting the rights of Filipino women in all spheres of society.

Among the salient features of the Magna Carta are increasing the number of women personnel until they fill half of third-level positions in the government, setting up in every barangay a “violence against women’s desk,” providing incentives to parties with women’s agenda, and barring the derogatory portrayal of women in media and film.

According to Angara, even women in search of economic opportunities should not be discriminated against.

“The myth of a weaker gender should cease to exist. It should be purged from the Filipino culture,” he added. (Annabelle L. Ricalde)