Poe: Country needs more women leaders

SENATOR Grace Poe believes that women can be effective leaders in public service.

“Naniniwala akong may mahalagang nadadala ang pagiging babae sa pamumuno,” Poe, who is being pushed to run for a higher post, said when she spoke at the Avon Sales Leader Conference held at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City on Thursday.

“Bilang mga babae, iba ang pag-unawa natin sa mga isyung nakakaapekto sa buhay ng mga kababaihan at ng mga bata. Iba ang pag-unawa natin at pagdama sa mga usapin lalo na iyong mga may kinalaman sa interes ng ating publiko. Ito ang dahilan kung bakit kailangan natin ng mas maraming babae sa posisyon ng pamumuno sa ating bansa,” she said.

Poe noted that 48% of people in decision-making positions in the country are women — six out of 24 senators are female, while 60 women representatives sit in the 16th Congress out of the 234.

“So although there are many women public officials, they are still the minority,” she said.

“Sa palagay ko po, kailangan natin ng mas marami pang kabaro natin hindi lamang sa ating pamahalaan, kundi sa liderato ng mga kumpanya at iba pang sektor. Kung gusto nating itaguyod ang kapakanan ng mga kababaihan at ng ating kabataan, kailangan nating maglagay ng kakatawan sa atin sa mga posisyong krusyal sa ating lipunan.”

“Magkaiba ang karanasan ng kalalakihan at kababaihan, at mahalagang kapwa sila nasa posisyon ng kapangyarihan at impluwensiya para mabigyan ng konsiderasyon sa proseso ng pagpapasya at pagbubuo ng polisiya ang kanilang kakaibang kalagayan,” she further said.

Poe also cited a survey conducted among members of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, an association of parliamentarians around the world, which showed that female legislators prioritize social issues such as child care, equal pay; physical concerns such as reproductive rights, physical safety and gender-based violence; and development matters such as poverty alleviation and service delivery.

Since assuming office in 2013, the senator said she has already filed a number of legislation for the benefit of women and children, including the Anti-Discrimination Act of 2014.

Under this bill, discriminatory acts, such as inflicting stigma; denying of education; denying political, civil, and cultural rights, including the right to organize; inflicting harm on health and well-being are strictly prohibited and will be meted with appropriate penalties. Discrimination under this bill refers to those made because of race, ethnicity, and other status, including gender.

She also filed a bill called the First 1,000 Days which recognizes the need for adequate nutrition of mothers and children in their first one thousand days. The bill seeks to establish a mother and child health care program in every barangay and complements Poe’s proposed Sustansya sa Batang Pilipino, which seeks to establish a school-based feeding program for children.

Poe has also called for an investigation into the proliferation of cybersex dens that prey on children and women and an inquiry on the condition of women detainees and prisoners. AC

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