When asked to describe a Filipina, most would answer a Filipina is soft-spoken, elegant, charming, and graceful. The characteristics said are derived from the character Maria Clara. Maria Clara is a character from the famous novel "Noli Me Tangere (Touch Me Not)" written by Jose Rizal. To many, Maria Clara is the epitome of purity and innocence. The representation of Maria Clara as demure and self-effacing posed an ideal "image" of what a Filipina should be. And conforming to these ideologies is the ill and the challenges that young Filipinas face today, and we should completely eradicate this stereotype.
Read More“Encircle the toys for boys, and box the toys for girls,” recites a first-grade student in the Philippines from her government-issued module. She cocks her head and stares blankly at the paper: a kitchen set, a shiny bike, a miniature castle; how does she choose which toy is for boys, and which toy is for girls? She has held each of them in her hands and cherished them all the same. “Just answer it,” says her mother. “Don’t be a contrarian. If it’s colorful and pretty, it’s for girls. If it’s for rough play and adventuring, it’s for boys.” Her eyes are usually bright; she is wonder-filled and jubilant with the youthful belief that she can amount to anything. Today, her eyes are downcast. She is not the first, and she will most certainly not be the last.
Read MoreIn a population of about 100 million people, 84 million Filipinos are Roman Catholic. In reference to the sacrament of marriage, Biblical law states, “so they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”- Matthew 19:6. Being devout Catholic countries, the Philippines and the Vatican are the only two remaining nations where divorce is illegal. While ideally, Church and State are to remain separate entities, one’s influence upon the other is undeniable demonstrated by how state laws align with religious beliefs. While the inability to file for divorce applies to both spouses, the issue is amplified for women as annulment, being the only option, adheres to limited grounds and comes with more repercussions for them as a result of living in a misogynistic culture.
Read MoreI was four years old when I started believing in fairytales. Growing up, I am always reminded of the little girl who marvelled at every magical wonder that each tale brings. I remember flipping through the pages of my storybooks, deeply enthralled by the utopian-like world, filled to the brim with fairies and princesses. Every night– in blissful stupor, I would lay, yearning for my own happily ever-after and a charming prince to sweep me off my feet.
Read MoreWith the pandemic, our lives have shifted and so have our realities. Working, going to school, and even shopping – everything is accessible with the click of a button. We think we are safe using these devices in the comfort of our own homes but the reality is we are not safe, even through a screen. We simply can not ignore the growing sexual harassment and violence on women online daily. With 73 million Filipinos online desperate to find sources of livelihood, social media becomes the ideal place for sexual exploitation, becoming a den that shelters predators to cowardly hide behind aliases. Online sexual abuse is tolerated despite the alarming rise in cases, thus, education must be demanded, in hopes for change.
Read MoreThe situation of women in the Philippines is ironic. Look above, and you'll see that the Philippines ranked 17th against 156 other countries in The World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Report 2021. (Baron, 2021) In other words, we are one of the best nations in the world when it comes to gender equality; in fact, we have been the best country in Asia in terms of closing the gender gap multiple times. (Buenaobra, 2010; Okutsu, 2018) But look below, and you'll see that — in the very same country — the end of National Women’s Month 2022 featured several netizens justifying the beating of Filipino actress Ana Jalandoni as something that “can’t be helped”. (Baclig, 2022)
Read MoreAs the 2022 Presidential Elections approach, Filipino voters have the chance to choose a new set of leaders to represent them. It is during this time that a better future is within their reach — that is, if they make the right decisions. In order to make that possible, past political mistakes are often brought to light in hopes that they are corrected. With the candidacy of female leaders Leni Robredo and Sara Duterte for the presidency and vice presidency, respectively, they are noticeably the odd ones amongst their mostly male competitors. Here we can see one of the adjustable flaws of Filipino politics: the lack of female leaders in the Philippine government.
Read MoreAs the eldest of 3 girls in my family, I have always felt protective of my sisters. Despite how much they can get on my nerves, their safety and well-being is important to me. I have been blessed to be in a position where my safety and well being, as well as those around me, have never been threatened–it has always been a given–as it should be. But I was reminded that this, unfortunately, is not the reality for everyone. I was shattered when I read about 13-year-old Joan Garcia who got pregnant so early on in her life that she had to grow up and drop out of school to take care of her daughter.
Read More“Oh, there goes Presidential-aspirant Leni Robredo again, making empty promises without even knowing how to speak properly. Is this who you want running the Philippines? A woman who claims she speaks from the heart but is actually deceiving the masses? She already knows she would lose, I mean come on, look at her competitors, she wouldn’t stand a chance against Bongbong Marcos. You shouldn’t vote for someone who you KNOW will lose, because then the vote will be wasted for naught.”
Read MoreThe Philippines has been known to be a conservative country because of its deeply rooted religious beliefs that are manifested in its moral values. Despite the separation of church and state, there is no denying that the Catholic Church wields great influence over Philippine politics and society in general. In line with this, it took years for the civil society organizations to have the “Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act” or reproductive health (RH) law to finally be enacted in December 2012 (Melgar et al., 2018) due to church oppositions claiming that the bill is “anti-life” (Robles,2012). Despite the implementation, there are concerns that the government's curriculums remain to emphasize "Filipino Values" on account of the religious pressure when it comes to sexual and health issues rather than fostering comprehensive insight for youths to make educated reproductive decisions (Joven, 2021). Because of these reasons, women and girls in the Philippines, continue to face the biggest challenge of the effects of the fundamentalist belief of the Catholic church on their Reproductive Health Law.
Read MoreDecember 8, 2020. I thought it was just another lazy Tuesday afternoon at home as I scrolled through the news feeds of my different social media accounts. It was apparent that 9 months of COVID-19 lockdown had taken its toll on me as I stared, glassy-eyed, at my phone’s screen. Suddenly, a news headline jolted me out of my boredom-induced trance.
Read MoreTo quote the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg, “The decision whether or not to bear a child is central to a woman’s life, to her well-being and dignity. It is a decision she must make for herself.”1 Making the decision to bear and raise a child is not an easy task - it requires great amounts of effort, perseverance, and determination, if one wants to do it well. Mothers often struggle through sleepless nights and have to deal with the responsibilities that come with properly raising members of the next generation. This being said, while motherhood is an honorable thing, one problem arises within the Philippines - the rising number of women who have the unwanted responsibility of becoming mothers thrust on them.
Read MoreI am a constant reminder of my mother’s mistake. There have been many incidents wherein she’d tell me, out of anger, that I am worthless and that I should just pack my bags and live elsewhere. But the most striking times are when she would not have heightened emotions at all. My mother would tell me casually, “You are the root of my suffering. I wish I never had you.” My eyes would lock onto her and I would nod slowly, and walk away as I let the words of rejection fragment the foundation of my childhood, bearing fruit to insecurity and self-hatred.
Read MoreAs someone who grew up on the internet, I’ve always been aware of the underlying risks and dangers of using the internet, let alone how anonymity can give people the courage to persecute and full-on disrespect others online. This is evident especially in the Philippines, wherein it is almost an obligation to have a Facebook account. However, deeply rooted in online Filipino communities is a pattern of significantly male behavior that deprives women and girls of their online freedom and safety.
Read MoreRagged breaths echo around the room, the musky scent of sweat accompanied by the constant banging of the headboard to the adjacent wall. Cries of pleasure resonate throughout the four walls of the dilapidated bedroom. Two beings synchronized in an unpredictable yet rhythmic pattern, naïve to the possible consequences. Yet nine months later, she holds a miniature hand in her palm, but no one to hold hers. She’s only fifteen.
Read MoreAs I stood precariously on my desk, I reached for my copy of Filipina author Cristina Pantoja-Hidalgo’s Catch a Falling Star, which was tucked into the very side of my upper-wall bookshelf. What possessed me to revisit the short story collection from my Grade 7 English class, I’ll never know. Surely it wasn’t for escapism, as the stories are undeniably realistic. When I first read “Beautiful Beth,” (96-110) my memory was already saturated with news of women kidnapped and raped and murdered. A high school sophomore being married off to her rapist after her being abducted was, however, shockingly novel to me.
Read More“I never knew it was wrong. I just thought we were having a show.” These words mirror the looming gender-based-violence against innocent girls within their own homes through the power of the internet. According to UNICEF (2016), the Philippines is considered as the “global epicenter” of live-stream sexual abuse trade, mostly impacting women and girls. This issue is further aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic as the quarantine measures trap the victims with their abusers. Oddly enough, the reported cases of abuse against women declined amidst the onset of the pandemic (Ranada, 2020). However, this only indicates the amplifying silence of oppressed women caused by a mere webcam.
Read MoreRagged breaths echo around the room, the musky scent of sweat accompanied by the constant banging of the headboard to the adjacent wall. Cries of pleasure resonate throughout the four walls of the dilapidated bedroom. Two beings synchronized in an unpredictable yet rhythmic pattern, naïve to the possible consequences. Yet nine months later, she holds a miniature hand in her palm, but no one to hold hers. She’s only fifteen.
Read MoreDecember 8, 2020. I thought it was just another lazy Tuesday afternoon at home as I scrolled through the news feeds of my different social media accounts. It was apparent that 9 months of COVID-19 lockdown had taken its toll on me as I stared, glassy-eyed, at my phone’s screen. Suddenly, a news headline jolted me out of my boredom-induced trance.
Read MoreTo quote the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg, “The decision whether or not to bear a child is central to a woman’s life, to her well-being and dignity. It is a decision she must make for herself.”1 Making the decision to bear and raise a child is not an easy task - it requires great amounts of effort, perseverance, and determination, if one wants to do it well. Mothers often struggle through sleepless nights and have to deal with the responsibilities that come with properly raising members of the next generation. This being said, while motherhood is an honorable thing, one problem arises within the Philippines - the rising number of women who have the unwanted responsibility of becoming mothers thrust on them.
Read More