A day shy of the celebration of the international women’s day, hundreds of women members from Akbayan Party trooped to the House of Representatives today to ask for the passage of a law on reproductive rights and the impeachment of woman public servant whom they claimed is misrepresenting them.
In a cultural event dubbed “Rhythm and Hymn: A tribute to Women and the RH bill”, Akbayan-women registered their support to the reproductive health bill saying the passage of the proposed law would be a ground-breaking occasion as the sector celebrates the 100th anniversary of international women’s day march.
Passage of RH, appropriate for 100 years of women’s day march
Former Akbayan Representative Risa Hontiveros said it would be a shame if the bill is not passed this year—the centenary of the international women’s day march.
“As we celebrate 100 years of women activism and accomplishment, we ask our legislators to pass the reproductive health bill as their contribution to the overall struggle to broaden women rights,” Hontiveros said.
Hontiveros said despite the strong opposition from the Catholic church hierarchy, they are hopeful that Congress will pass the proposed legislative measure this year. “With the help of the women’s fervent advocacy, we are very confident that before the year ends, the reproductive health bill will be passed as one of the landmark victories of modern Filipino women fighting for reproductive health rights and the expansion of their freedom to choose.”
It was reported that the date—March 8—was chosen to celebrate women’s rights because of an event that had occurred on that day in the United States. A women protest was organized on March 8, 1908 to demand the right to vote. The demonstration was such a success that the date was designated to become the “international women’s day” dedicated to honour the continuing struggle for equal rights for all women in all countries.
In 1911, the first international women’s day march took place. This year, women are celebrating the centenary of the first march.
Merci “misrepresenting” women, an “embarrassment”
Aside from the reproductive health bill, women advocates of Akbayan also called for the impeachment of Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez saying she is a “political discomfiture” to the ranks of Filipino women.
“Si Gutierrez ay isang malaking kahihiyan sa hanay ng mga kababaihan. Her dismal performance as head of the government’s anti-graft office, much more her poor conduct as a woman public servant is despicable,” Hontiveros said.
Hontiveros said Gutierrez is misrepresenting women, especially those in government.
“While women fight for more spaces and positions to contribute to governance and nation-building, they are not like Gutierrez who stubbornly clings to a position the public no longer trusts her to occupy. At bagama’t lumalaban ang mga kababaihan para sa pagpapalawig ng women power, hindi sila hayok sa kapangyarihan kagaya ni Merci,” Hontiveros added.
“Anti-women”
Akbayan also said Gutierrez is “anti-women.” “Despite being a woman herself, Gutierrez turned a blind eye on the violent dispersal of a 2006 women’s day rally. She also did not recognize the illegality of my arrest from the same event,” Hontiveros said.
In March 8, 2006, Hontiveros then a partylist lawmaker was allegedly arrested for participating in a rally celebrating international women’s day. Despite her protest, members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) accosted her saying she was merely being “protected” from “dangerous elements.”
Hontiveros filed a complaint against the police before the Office of the Ombudsman. Gutierrez ruled in favour of the PNP stating that Hontiveros “was not arrested.”
The arrest was caught in video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9oPUy3OyVU) and is now part of the impeachment compliant filed against Gutierrez by Hontiveros together with retired Brigadier General Danilo Lim, and Felipe and Evelyn Pestano, parents of slain Philippine Navy Ensign Phillip Andrew Pestano.
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