𝗙𝗘𝗔𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗘: "National Women's Month: PH’s remarkable women throughout history" by John Lawrence Laygo

Published by: Lloyd Agbulos

Date published: March 04, 2023

Time published: 3:38 PM

With the theme "WE for gender equality and an inclusive society," the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) began the celebration of National Women's Month on 1st week of March, highlighting women's empowerment and gender equality.

Proclamation No. 224 s. 1988, "Declaring the First Week of March of Every Year as Women’s Week and March 8, 1988." The proclamation was signed by the former President Corazon Aquino to recognize the Filipino women's contribution to our country and their sacrifices to fight for our independence.

PCW celebrates Women's Month to continue the fight against discrimination against women, women's empowerment, and gender equality that is still rampant in today's generation.

Below are the remarkable women of the century who stood up and fought the oppression in the country, women of advocacy and change, and women who brought the pride of the Philippines.

𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻:

With over 2 million people in 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution who fought to end the tyranny and dictatorship of former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., almost half of them were youth, mother, and elder women.

𝗛𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗮 𝗔𝗴𝘂𝗲𝗱𝗮, a woman general who fought during the Philippine Revolution in the years 1899-1902. Agueda was the one who led the troops of men in the revolution. Agueda also joined the battlegrounds against the American Forces in the southern region and was later announced as the only Female General in the Katipunan.

𝗠𝗮𝗿í𝗮 𝗝𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗳𝗮 𝗚𝗮𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗮 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗶ñ𝗼 𝗱𝗲 𝗦𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴, who joined and fought for the independence of the Philippines against the spaniards. She became the leader of rebellion after their leader, Diego, was assassinated. Gabriela successfully defeated the Spaniards in her hometown, Santa, Ilocos Sur.

𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗮 𝗱𝗲 𝗝𝗲𝘀ú𝘀 𝘆 Á𝗹𝘃𝗮𝗿𝗲𝘇, who fought with the side of Gat. Andres Bonifacio, her first husband. She was the one who kept the documents of the Katipunan safe and the one who sewed the first flag of the Katipunan.

𝗠𝗲𝗹𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗿𝗮 𝗔𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗼, famously known as "tandang sora," who fought in Philippine Revolution and was known as the Mother of Katipunan or Mother of Philippine Revolution.

𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗚𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁:

𝗠𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗺 𝗗𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗴𝗼, former senator of the Republic of the Philippines, who passed several laws including protection of basic constitutional rights—to privacy, to information, to free exercise of religion, to travel, and to equal protection; improvement of the quality of primary and secondary education in the classroom; protection of children's welfare against tobacco, illegal drugs, violent programming, and firearms, promotion of women's health and family relations, etc.

𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗮 𝗟𝗲𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗿 𝗥𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗼, the 14th Vice President of the Republic of the Philippines, who helped the Filipino people through the 'Angat Buhay' campaign that aims to end poverty in the poorest and marginalized sector in the Philippines that partnered with different organizations and helped 622,000 families and was able to use P520 million resources. Robredo also passed several bills when she was in the House of Representatives, such as the Graphic Health Warnings Law, wherein it requires tobacco products to have graphic health warnings, and Strengthening the Probation System, that establishes a correctional system that will reform, rehabilitate, and restore the dignity of prisoners.

𝗥𝗶𝘀𝗮 𝗛𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗼𝘀, a health and women's advocate and current senator in the 18th Congress of the Republic of the Philippines, and passed numerous laws, such as the Anti-Hospital Detention Law, the Universal Social Pension for Senior Citizens Bill, the Prevention of Teenage Pregnancy Bill, the Expanded Solo Parents Welfare Bill, etc.

𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘇𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝗷𝘂𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗼 𝗔𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗼, the 11th President of the Republic of the Philippines. Cory was known for restoring democracy in the Philippines through the EDSA People Power Revolution in 1986, that ended the tyranny and dictatorship. Under her presidency, a new constitution was made, which was called the "1987 Constitution." Cory also focused on advocating feminism in the country by opening more women's movements and allowing women to participate and contribute in society, she also advocated for improving gender and development (GAD) in the country.

𝗙𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗼 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗶𝗻 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘄𝗶𝗱𝗲:

𝗛𝗶𝗱𝗶𝗹𝘆𝗻 𝗗𝗶𝗮𝘇, the first Olympic Gold Medalist of the Philippines. Diaz won in the women's 55kg weightlifting category.

𝗥𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗝𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗥𝗮𝗺𝗼𝘀, who competed in the Junior Weightlifting Championship in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Ramos bagged four gold medals, one silver, and one bronze medal in the women’s 45 kilogram category.

𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗮 𝗗𝗶𝗮𝘇, 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗶𝗲 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗻, 𝗣𝗶𝗮 𝗪𝘂𝗿𝘁𝘇𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗵, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗮𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝘆 who represented and won in Miss Universe competition through the years.

SOURCES:

Philippines Commission on Women

PVAO

DOG

Congress of the Philippines

Bayaniart

Esquires

Senate of the Philippines

Pinkpedia

Lowa State University

Olympics

Rappler