This photo, taken February 2019, shows Vice President Leni Robredo in a meeting with journalists in Cebu to promote the 2019 Istorya ng Pagasa Film festival which features local documentaries and films that “inspire” ordinary Filipinos. (Photo by JUNJIE MENDOZA / Inquirer Visayas)
MANILA, Philippines — Men and women should not compete but rather complement each other, Vice President Leni Robredo said on Saturday as part of her message in celebration of International Women’s Month this March.
“Hindi naman kailangang nagko-compete iyong babae saka lalaki. Dapat nagko-complement sila with each other. Pero okay iyong sinabi kanina ni mayor, kasi iyong emphasis nila iyong livelihood,” Robredo told reporters during the Joint Women’s Month Celebration in Tigaon, Camarines Sur.
[It’s not necessary for women and men to compete with each other. They should complement each. But what the mayor said is OK, because their emphasis is on livelihood.]
She was referring to Tigaon Mayor Pamela Rinah B. Fuentebella, who spoke before her.
“Iyong sa akin, magandang sine-celebrate iyong Women’s Month kasi pagpapaalala ito ng kalakasan ng bawat babae,” she said.
[For me, it’s good to celebrate Women’s Month as a reminder of the strength of each woman.]
Robredo said she would continue to push for the economic empowerment of women.
“Ako, ever since iyon-iyong pinapakipaglaban ko — na para magkaroon tayo ng real empowerment. Iyong economic empowerment ng mga kababaihan, napaka-importante,” the Vice President said.
[This is what I’ve been fighting for — that we will have real empowerment. It’s very important for women to have economic empowerment.]
Efforts to increase the role of Filipino women in national and global centers showed in 2018 Gender Gap Report of the World Economic Forum where the Philippines ranked eighth out of 149 countries.
The report rated countries according to their progress in gender parity on four indicators — economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, health and survival, and political empowerment.
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