By Angelica Mirano
The current 17th Congress is truly a unique congregation of diversity and talent.
Especially in the House of the Representatives where it maintains to achieve gender-balanced leadership backed by the fact that the power of women was highlighted in its second highest office, the Deputy Speakership.
With half of the elected deputy speakers being women such as Hon. Rose Marie Arenas, Hon. Mercedez Alvarez, Hon. Mylene Garcia-Albano, Hon. Pia Cayetano, Hon. Sharon Garin, Hon. Evelina Escudero, and Hon. Linabelle Ruth Villarica, Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s term as speaker is a testament to her leading the pack of empowered women.
Let’s get to know more about these women deputy speakers, knowing well too well that they have authored and co-authored acts that are significant to all Filipinos.
Hon. Mylene J. Garcia-Albano, a lawyer by profession, an advocate of workers and Davao City’s second district representative. She co-authored several significant Republic acts such as Republic Act No. 10668 that helps importer and exporters by lowering the cost of shipping containerized cargoes; Republic Act No. 10845 that imposes higher sanctions on large-scale smuggling of agricultural products as crime of economic sabotage; Republic Act No. 8972 that provides additional benefits to solo parents; Republic Act No. 10706 that protect seafarers from exploitation during cases of accident, illness and deaths; and Republic Act No. 10821 that mandates provision of emergency relief and protection service for children before, during or after the disaster, and other emergency situation.
Hon. Mercedez K. Alvarez serves both as deputy speaker and representative of the sixth district of Negros Occidental. She was a lawyer by profession and an advocate of rights of women and children. She fought for extended maternity leave of working women and also stood against intolerance and discrimination. She was also a national defense and security advocate and also pushed development of the countryside through infrastructure projects.
Hon. Rose Marie J. Arenas, 3 rd district representative of Pangasinan and been dedicating her service to the poor. She was also an advocate of women, children and overseas Filipino workers rights. She has been an instrument for the poor to attain proper education via granting scholarship to thousands of youths. She is a significant patron of arts and a key benefactor in the construction and repair of chapels and monasteries.
After serving public as a senator, Deputy Speaker Hon. Pia S. Cayetano and representative of 2nd district of Taguig City and also a lawyer were known with her sympathy to women and poor. She supported laws on reproductive health, cheaper medicine, taxes and women welfare. She also supported laws about education, environment, PWDs senior citizen and sports. She was the principal author and sponsor of the 10 Day Expanded Maternity Leave Bill.
Hon. Evelina G. Escudero was a veteran educator with PhD and an advocate of education, culture and arts, tourism, health, and agriculture. She authored and sponsor bills such as Republic Act No. 10931 or Iskolar ng Bayan Act, Republic Act No. 11052 or Philippine Food Technology Act, Republic Act No. 11037 or Masustansyang Pagkain Para sa Batang Pilipino Act. She is the 1 st district representative of Sorsogon.
A certified public accountant and lawyer, and a party-list representative, Hon. Sharon S. Garin was the author of the Coconut Preservation Act, Rural Farms School Act, Farm Tourism Act, Food Safety Act, Free Irrigation Act, and other agricultural related bills. She was also a women’s rights advocate, aiming to empower women with Expanded Maternity Leave Bill, Absolute Divorce Bill, and the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Act.
Hon. Linabelle Ruth R. Villarica is the representative of the 4th district of Bulacan and the president of the Association of the Women Legislators Foundation Inc. She was the principal author of the Republic Act No. 10928 that extends the validity of the Philippine Passport; Republic Act No. 10691 that amends the Public Employment Service Office Law and other significant bills. With Peter Paul Duran“‹
