The month of March is celebrated as Women’s Month in the Philippines. It is a time to give tribute to women and women’s groups who, through hard work, grit, and perseverance, have made an impact in the lives of Filipino women. It is also the month to take stock of the present situation, and plan things that still need to be done to achieve that elusive goal of equality between women and men.
March is a busy month for women’s groups and those who are active in addressing women’s concerns, both government and non-government. Included here is my group, the Democratic Socialist Women of the Philippines.
We were born on March 7, 1987, the year after the Edsa people power revolt happened. Non-government organizations mushroomed during this time because of the democratic space that ensued after the dictator Ferdinand Marcos was literally thrown out of power, and former President Corazon Aquino’s government begun the work of reestablishing democracy in the country. Women saw this as an opportune time to get organized, find our voice as women, and work for our rights.
The DSWP celebrates its 30th year this year. Though it has been a very rough ride, especially the last five years or so, we are still here working for and with women who belong to the marginalized sectors and live in poor urban and rural communities.
This March, I have been speaking in various forums of women from different stations in life. I have been in a few events of celebrities and leaders who have made “helping women” their mission in life. The Commission on Human Rights requested me to speak on the problems faced in the implementation of the Reproductive Health Law in their event for Women’s Month. La Salle students invited me to their forum of around 200 students on empowering women. The Pasig women’s groups in cooperation with their local government unit asked me to speak about women’s rights in their first Women’s Summit with around 500 participants. And, I am writing this in Buhi, Camarines Sur, just after I addressed the more than two thousand women gathered for the women’s forum where I tackled this year’s Women’s Month theme, “We make change work for women.”
I must confess that it is with community of women that I get the most fulfillment from. In the 30 years that my group has worked with and for these women, we have seen how education about their rights, as well as honing skills they want to develop, have helped shape them into assertive women who do not let others boss them around as they used to. Many of them have become leaders in their own right, a number went as far as winning local elections.
Images of the former selves of these women remain vivid in my mind. Many of them were too timid to even speak their names in public. When asked to introduce themselves, they very gingerly stood up, kept their heads bowed, and in the softest possible voice, murmured their names. Most of these women had very little self-confidence and regarded themselves as inferior to others by virtue of their sex, class, and education status.
Here in Buhi, Belen, one of those who started DSWP in Camarines Sur, sat with me. I last saw her in 2005 in a training we did in Subic. Belen was beside herself with excitement upon seeing me again and began telling me how she uses what she learned from all the education activities she underwent. She went misty-eyed, held my hand tightly, and expressed how thankful she is for how much the organization helped her develop into the person she is now. She said that the certificates she received from all the training she received from us are among her precious possessions in life. I was very touched to hear such expression of gratitude.
Belen is not the only one. Those extremely shy women are shy no more. I see the change in the change in them and often, I catch myself smiling because it is a great honor to have been part of their development.
The relationship that developed among the DSWP women is one of sisterhood. We have faced various major challenges personally and organizationally but we kept together. Because DSWP chapters are in poor urban and rural areas, bringing everybody in one place is very difficult. But no matter how rarely we see everyone, we always have a blast. Just like this time in Buhi, the bond is instantly there despite years of not physically seeing each other.
The advocacies DSWP women took and continue to take on are not easy. The pro-women laws that we fought for, anti-rape, anti-violence against women and their children, Magna Carta of Women, and the reproductive health law, all took many years to pass. The work involved in these advocacies, the frustrations and difficulties made our relationship even stronger.
These women are now helping in the development of other women in their communities. I have seen how actively involved they are social and women’s issues where they are. I am confident that these DSWP women are now fully capable and will continue to pay it forward.
My admiration goes out to my sisters. This piece is for all of you. This Women’s Month, I celebrate my sisterhood with you.
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