Vice president and presidential aspirant Leni Robredo believes women are still treated differently amid advances in the fight on gender equality in the country.
“We have been performing very well as far as gender equality is concerned compared with other counties, we have to admit that our society is still highly patriarchal. Ramdam na ramdam ko po iyon as a public servant. We have to prove ourselves many times over to bago ma-appreciate iyong trabaho na ginagawa natin,” Robredo said in her speech at the Basilan Women Executives and Legislators Summit Speech.
Discrimination starts at home where women are set to accomplish everything.
“Iyong role ng mga nanay at mga asawa, very much taken for granted in the sense that we do all the work, we do all the task, pero underappreciated ang mga kababaihan,” she said.
“Itong ating kinalakihan ay nadadala natin sa community, marami pa rin ang pagtingin sa mga babae ay second class citizen. Marami pa rin na iyong pagtingin kailangan lang tayong i-celebrate ‘pag Women’s Month, she added.
March is International Women’s month.
The presidential aspirant added that she wishes for a time where the world will no longer celebrate women’s month anymore because women are recognized.
“Ang pangarap ko at yung hindi na kailangan ng women’s month kasi everyday of our lives, women are already valued in the manner that we deserve,” she added.
Robredo advised her fellow women to continue what they’re doing and help each other out, adding that it is the only way to progress.
“When women work together, mas malakas iyong loob natin, mas napapansin tayo kasi magkakasama tayo. Mas nabibigyang pansin dahil nakikita kung gaano kalakas ang ating samahan,” she said.
“May kasabihan na pag tinulungan mo ang isang babae, parang tinulungan mo na rin ang buong community dahil ang isang babaeng tinulungan, tutulungan niya rin lahat. We women should be doing that, hindi nag-iinggitan, we honor and treasure each other because tayo tayo rin ang magkakasama in the end,” she added. Ronald Espartinez