Some jobs too risky for women, says Duterte

The tourism portfolio,which President Duterte gave to Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, belongs to women, according to Mr. Duterte. —INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

There are simply government jobs that are not made for women.

This was one of the explanations of President Rodrigo Duterte on why he preferred to tap men over women for assignments that could involve risks.

In a speech in Davao City on Friday, the President said women were better suited for some jobs that might not be as risky.

“I don’t like women. I prefer men because I have many orders,” the President said.

“Suddenly I would just tell you, ‘You go to Marawi because nobody is supervising there.’ Can you make a woman do that and put her in harm’s way?” he said.

But he pointed out that he had appointed women to important agencies in the government, like the Department of Tourism.

Tourism for women

It was in apparent reference to his decision to appoint his close friend, Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, as tourism secretary in May.

“I’m used to men. But there are positions such as tourism that are better suited [for women],” the President added.

Last month, the President claimed that although he believed in the competence of women, some jobs were not appropriate for them.

He said men were used to fights and women were more prim and proper, and could not handle the stress of threats and intimidation.

Earlier this week, however, the PResident appointed several women in the judiciary: Panabo Judge Dorothy Montejo-Gonzaga and Cavite Judge Emily Aliño-Geluz to the Court of Appeals, and Caloocan City Judge Georgina Dumpit-Hidalgo to the Sandiganbayan.

He said women who called him a misogynist were those suffering from “phallic syndrome.”

“You know what their sickness is? It’s phallic syndrome,” the President said. “Those things, they connect it immediately to that because they haven’t gotten some in a long time. They’re ugly. How can you get excited by them?” —With a report from Allan Nawal