Unlike other races, women in our society are esteemed even before Magellan and his land grabbing cohort found their way to Cebu in March 1521. As proof, there is a pre-Hispanic deed of sale of a parcel of land in Tongdo in the Tagalog region, between two women written in Baybayin preserved in the Benavides Library of UST. We can infer the following points from this document:
a) women had property rights such as the right
to own land; b) pre-Hispanic Filipinas were able to read and write; c) women knew how to bargain and deal with their property on their own. Filipinas have gone a long way in upholding their dignity and value in society. Our society’s attitude toward women only changed drastically when the Spaniards arrived on our shores, bringing along this Western belief that women should be confined to domestic responsibilities. However, this did not diminish the spirit and fire of Filipinas
who possessed grit and refused to be relegated to the background in the political sphere. Our history is not wanting of heroines who actively participated in uprisings against the Spanish, American and Japanese invaders. It was not surprising that Filipinas came out in full force in the plebiscite of 1936 that granted them the right to vote and be voted in elections the following year.
Now, women occupy high level positions in all three branches of government. We have had two female Presidents and three Vice-Presidents, dozens of senators, a speaker and congresspersons, governors, vice-governors, mayors, vice-mayors, board members, councilors , punong barangays and kagawads. The Supreme Court was also led by two female Chief Justices. We have many female justices in the Court of Appeals, Sandiganbayan, and Court of Tax Appeals. We have had two female Ombudsman.

Based on the data of this Feb. 28, 2023, of the total number of 2,043 judges nationwide, 1,105 are women and 938 are men. The PNP and the AFP also have star-ranked female
officers after PMA and PNPA opened its doors to female cadettes.

In the education sector, 89.58% of primary school teachers and 77.06% of high school teachers are women. In the field of law, according to the Supreme Court (https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/obc/) there are more women taking bar exams. In the 2019 Bar Exams, 1,214 women passed compared to 889 men. This trend indicates that the legal profession that used to be dominated by men will soon be taken over by women.

The Philippine Council of Women said in the Gender Equality and Women Empowerment Plan 2019-2025 that women are still lacking in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Perhaps it has to do with the inherent difference in the size of the male brain compared to the female brain and how these brains function differently as women are adept in multi-tasking while men have a dissimilar approach. According to the OECD (the organization that provides the Program for International Student Assessment) it appears that men are better at math while
women are fonder of reading. When it comes to science, there is no difference betweenthe sexes.

The exceptional beauty and outstanding character of Filipinas are recognized in
international beauty pageants. Pageant contestants go through a strict regimen
implemented by a vibrant assemblage of beauty pageant specialists. Inequalities in society cannot be eradicated simply by the feminist narrative of removing gender bias. Our world has a Sun and Moon, a Heaven and Earth, a Yin and
Yang. This balance is needed in life, family, work and society. Discrimination solely on gender is unjust since it overlooks merit and fitness of the individual. There are tasks that both genders can do but there are also roles that are more suited to one gender. Celebrate and admire the efforts of women but let’s not aspire to eliminate the gender difference in all aspects of human life because it is contrary to our nature. Many women still welcome acts of chivalry from men. We should not allow traditional spaces of women to be invaded by biological men with gender dysphoria (pretending to be women).

Happy Women’s Month!