| PGMA's Speech during the Closing Program of the National Summit of Women Local Chief Executives and Legislators |
Coral Ballroom, Manila Pavilion Hotel U.N. Ave., Ermita, Manila (15 May 2003) |
| Thank you very much, Oyie for
your introduction. And thank you for your valuable support and leadership in bringing this
summit about. Our leaders in the different local goverments both in the executive and the legislative; Matin Petilla representing the Female Governors of the Philippines; Marybeth Felgado representing the Lady Municipal Mayors of the Philippines; Mary Jane Ortega representing the City Mayors of the Philippines; Marides Fernando representing the Metro Manila Lady Mayors of Metro Manila; and Mary Ann Villegas representing the Lady Board Members of the Philippines; and Cora Del Mundo representing the Lady Councilors of the Philippines; Mr. Terrence Jones representing our International Development Partners; ladies and the gentlemen who are helping the women leaders of this country: First, let me begin by congratulating our women local chief executives and legislators on your Manila declaration on gender responsive politics and governance. As a woman political leader of the Philippines, I'm one with you in the commitment to build more humane, just and peace-loving constituencies free of gender biases. Freedom from gender bias is a trait of a strong union as Undersecretary Devanadera said in her welcome remarks. So are humaneness, justice and peace. That's why today, I would like to announce very happily a major step that we have achieved towards greater humaneness and justice for our women and their children: both houses of congress in bicameral conference have just passed the bill against trafficking of women and children. I would have wanted to sign the bill into law today right here in this summit, except that many women leaders who are not part of this summit meeting want to be present at the signing. So we shall set it for another day soon, but i'm sure many of you will be there just as well. That is a bill to protect the rights of women and children. But beyond protecting the rights of women and children, we must go into affirmative action and that's what your manila declaration is all about. As we can see in this large gathering, in many parts of our country, gender is no longer an issue in electing public officials. But we must still overcome remaining biases. Halimbawa, ang dalawang matinding krisis na hinaharap ng mundo ngayon -- ang terorismo at ang SARS. Ang laban sa SARS ay laban kontra sa sakit at dumi ng kapaligiran. Sabi nila ito ay labang pang babae, kasi trabaho raw ng babae maglinis at mag-alaga ng maysakit. 'Yung isang krisis ng mundo ay 'yung laban kontra sa terorismo. Sabi nila ito raw ay labang pang-macho, 'di ba? Even in crisis of the world there is a gender bias that we must overcome. Kaya sa pagharap natin sa mga krisis na ito, pagkakataong lampasan ng mga kababaihang lider ang nalalabi pang gender bias sa ating lipunan. Whether male or female, our government executives must be crisis managers ready to face all kinds of social and security concerns. We have seen that terrorism strikes anywhere at any time, from the remotest barangays in Mindanao to the capitals of the world. The world in the post-Iraq period has achieved greater strategic stability, but this has driven militant cells to deeper desperation. That's why all Filipinos must be vigilant wherever they are. OFWs must work with their host communities to secure themselves and their loved ones. We must show the terrorist that humanity will not be cowed, that life goes on and that they will be brought to justice. We will intensify our intelligence work at home and strengthen international security cooperation. We're engaged in a punitive campaign against terrorists responsible for specific atrocities against innocent civilians. The campaign will be selective and limited to these terrorist cells. Women executives, this is a challenge to you, to us. Not only as executives but as women executives. Today, there are two women executives who are not here. But that's because they're busy addressing to the crisis in their own locality. We have Mayor Caling Lobregat who has been taking the leadership in the fight against terrorism in Zamboanga City. We have Governor Daisy Fuentes who has been taking the leadership in the fight against terrorism there in her province of South Cotabato. They are at the forefront and sometimes it is said that they have shown their leadership but they have to show it by being better than the men just to be treated equally in that field of the fight against terrorism. So, therefore, to the rest of the lady executives we are enlisting the support of the local government units affected in isolating these target groups. We are also on a diplomatic offensive to enlist international support behind our cause. Our objectives and strategies are clear and precise, our operations are phased and time bound. We will ensure that as much as possible, civilian communities are put out of harm's way. Pero 'yon nga sabi magaling tayo doon, keeping the civilian community out of harm's way, evacuation, etc. Oo, magaling ang babae doon pero magaling din ang babae na lumaban sa terorista mismo. And we've seen that in Mayor Caling we've seen that in Daisy. We must see that in all the women executives in whose jurisdiction there is a terrorist threat. And as I said earlier, in this world after Iraq terrorism can occur anywhere. On the threat of SARS, W.H.O.'s forthcoming decision to remove us from the list of SARS-prone countries will serve as a trophy for the efforts our people have done in controlling the spread of the virus. But while we await this eventuality, the security measures versus SARS must go on with the same intensity until the threat has been decisively diminished. Ah, dito angat na angat ang ating mga local government leaders na kababaihan. Because there's that close connection between hygiene and the sickness and preventing SARS. They say gender characteristic na naman second nature sa atin maglinis ng ating kapaligiran. But we go beyond just what is our trait as women. We go beyond that and we work on physical threats themselves. The local government official as crisis manager must lead whether it becomes to... Whether it's terrorism or whether it's SARS, the local government as crisis manager must lead in coordinating action from the national to the grassroots level, from the grassroots to the national level. As women leaders, as I said earlier, our success in meeting these challenges is part of our fight for the advancement of women. Because while people elect women to positions -- kung minsan meron pa ring nasa likod hanggang diyan, may glass ceiling pa rin tayo. Now, that there are physical threats to our society, this is a time for all women executives to show that we are equal to those threats. Therefore, let's continue to bond together to advance the cause of women as vanguards in building a strong and caring nation. Sa kababaihang ehekutibo at mambabatas, mabuhay kayong lahat at ang ating bansa ay tatatag dahil sa inyo. Maraming salamat sa inyong lahat. |