Story & photo by Astarte Abraham
Contributor
WOMEN’S rights are human rights. Defending democracy and asserting the rights of Filipinos, especially women, have never been more poignant in this time of disquiet.
“Sa panahon pong ito… nakikita natin ang maraming pagbabanta laban sa ating demokrasya [At present, we can see the many threats to our democracy],” Vice President Maria Leonor Robredo said in a forum during International Women’s Day.
Robredo, herself a victim of fake news, said a culture of fear is being harnessed, extrajudicial killings are rampant, and the right to live and to express oneself is being stifled.
The half-day forum, entitled “Women Defend Democracy”, and presented by women’s groups Pilipina and #EveryWoman, was held at the Little Theater in Miriam College on International Women’s Day on March 8.
In her opening remarks, Teresita “Ging” Quintos-Deles, the founding chairwoman of Pilipina expressed alarm at the recent turn of events in the country: The Lower House has imposed the death penalty, which she views as antipoor; there are moves to lower the age of criminal liability opening the possibility of children being thrust into death row; Sen. Risa Hontiveros has been ousted as the chairman of the Senate Committee on Health; Sen. Leila M. de Lima has been wrongfully jailed as she continues the fight for truth and accountability; and Robredo is being treated as an outcast in the high chambers of governance, her position still challenged by the late dictator’s son.
Hontiveros said, “We live in a period where the culture of death, rape, sexual harassment and male sexual violence is prevalent, made worse by the dishonorable behavior of many of our elected national leaders who lend their voices to the gross, blatant objectification of our women. We live in a time when democracy and human rights are grossly violated and disrespected. There’s still a pervasive culture of sexism misogyny and gender-bias prevalent in our society. And this has been encouraged and strengthened by no less than the President himself.”
Hontiveros said the President has reduced women to body parts; joked about participating in gang rape; catcalled female members of the press, insisting they should be flattered by the attention; and persecuted one of his harshest critics, De Lima, through baseless accusations. “Unfortunately, our President has driven to unparalleled extremes male chauvinism, misogyny and sexism in our country. Worse, this rabid anti-women culture dangerously mixes with the current climate of killing and impunity that has engulfed the entire country.”
It wasn’t always like this.
Quintos-Deles said in 1986 women in government, non-governmental organizations, the private sector, and the social movements celebrated not only International Women’s Day, but the end of the Marcos dictatorship, and the eventual return of democracy with then-President Corazon Aquino.
In the following years, great strides have been made to protect the rights of women. Rape has been defined as a crime against persons, not chastity. Laws have been made: The omnibus Magna Carta of Women; Anti-Sexual Harassment Act of 1995; Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003; Anti-Violence Against Women and their Children Act of 2004; the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012, informally known as the reproductive health law or RH law; and the Expanded Maternity Leave Law of 2017, to name a few.
“Yung nilabanan natin noon, pilit na ibinabalik” [What we fought against then is being forced on us again],” said Robredo who acknowledged the youth’s invaluable contribution to the attainment and preservation of democracy. Decades ago it was the youth who first went out to the streets to fight the dictatorship. This year many millennials rallied in the streets when the Supreme Court allowed the burial of the late dictator in the Libingan ng mga Bayani. Robredo is also being invited to forums spearheaded by students—forums about reclaiming social media vigilance against misinformation in social media, and changing the conversation to a positive, truthful one.
Indeed, the youth has tremendous power. They can continue to fight for democracy by mobilizing and bringing concerned groups together. But they should not stand alone. There is greater power in numbers.
As Hontiveros put it, “Kayong mga millennials ngayon ang kailangang mamuno sa isang bagong Edsa sa lansangan, sa mga tahanan, sa mga eskuwelahan ninyo, sa mga work places ninyo, pati nga doon sa space ng social media na kailangan nating i-reclaim. Kayo ‘yung bagong Edsa [You, the millennials, need to lead a new revolution in the streets, in homes, in schools, in your workplaces, and even in social media, which we need to reclaim. You are the new revolution].”
Image credits: Astarte Abraham