SEN. Pia Cayetano pushed on Friday for the fielding of more women candidates by political parties in the 2016 elections to help increase the voice of women in governance and policy-making in the country.
Cayetano, chairman of the Senate Committee on Women, Gender and Family Relations, made the call ahead of International Women’s Day on March 8 and the filing of certificates of candidacies this October for the 2016 elections.
“Despite all the gains that women have achieved in society, they continue to be grossly underrepresented in the realm of politics. There are only six women out of 24 members in the Senate, or 25 percent, and 79 out of 289 members in the House of Representatives, or 27 percent,” she said.
“At the local level, women’s representation is even lower. They occupy 22 percent of gubernatorial posts; 18 percent of vice gubernatorial posts; 18 percent of provincial board seats; 21 percent of mayoralty posts; 20 percent of city councils;” and 20 percent of municipal councils. On the average, only one in five elected local executives is a woman,” she added.
PNA