MALACAÑANG on Friday, March 8, bragged President Rodrigo Duterte's administration's policies and programs aimed at ensuring that Filipino women are enjoying their rights in the country.
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said Duterte believes in the "capability, integrity and competence" of women.
"As we observe International Women’s Day today, March 8, we pay tribute to Filipino women across sectors in our society," Panelo said in a statement.
"The Duterte administration has been at the forefront in advancing women’s rights in the Philippines," he added.
Panelo noted that under the Duterte government, the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2018 placed Philippines as the most gender equal nation in Asia and ranked it as the eighth in the list of best countries in the world to be a woman.
He also stressed that under the Duterte's watch, several women are
appointed by the President in government to give them the opportunity to contribute in significant decision-making for the country.
The Palace official likewise cited several laws signed by Duterte that are beneficial to women.
"Just recently, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte signed into law Republic Act (RA) 11210, which increases the maternity leave period for all female workers to 105 days, with an option to extend for an additional30 days without pay, and granting additional 15 days for solo mothers," he said.
"We also have RA 11165 or the Telecommuting Law, which creates an alternative work arrangement that most Filipino women may take advantage of. There is also RA 11148, which ensures the health safety of both mother and child in the early stages after giving birth," he added.
Panelo also took note of Duterte's Executive Order 12, which seeks to attain and sustain “zero unmet need for modern family planning” through the strict implementation of the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act.
He added that the President recently approved the full and intensified Implementation Plan for the National Program on Family Planning.
"More than 11 million women would be given access to effective modern contraceptives over the next four years to prevent four million unintended pregnancies and two million cases of abortion over the said period," he said.
Panelo expressed hope that such executive action and legislative initiatives would improve the country's ranking in terms of women’s safety by Singapore-based research company Value Champion, which considers women’s access to health care, lax laws regarding women’s safety, poor access to family planning resources and overall gender inequality in its list of safest countries in Asia Pacific for women.
"Indeed, we continue to honor all Filipino women and give due recognition to their achievements in the home, in the workplace, in the community and in nation building. Mabuhay ang kababaihan (Long live the women)," the Palace official said. (SunStar Philippines)