maingay
submissive
objectified
mahina dependent baby-maker
S I k L A B:
sim bu yo , ka ta ta ga n, la ba n ng ka ba ba ih an september 2020 : issue no. 1
welcome! SIKLAB: Simbuyo, Katatagan, Laban ng Kababaihan a s w e
It is an absolute pleasure to welcome you to
present to you our final course output. This coffee table magazine brings about discoveries, as we have explored fresh erudition that we can apply in our lives now and in the future.
Our mission is to bring thoughtful and engaging commentary on women empowerment. Photopages and trivias are served for your enjoyment throughout your journey in this magazine.
While the core of SIKLAB is to partake learning, our group will be tackling various topics about women empowerment. We will be centering each individual motif around the themes: women’s issues, iconic Filipino women etc. We hope that you would enjoy learning from this magazine. Women’s rights are human rights.
Animo!
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why siklab? The intense passion of women and their intelligence are the things they are fighting for, in this world full of stereotypes.
The origin behind our name,
SIKLAB
is simple:
“SImbuyo, Katatagan, LABan ng Kababaihan�
signifies the role of women as
they go through various obstacles in fighting for their place in society. We are grounded in sharing the views, perspectives, and implications of women empowerment in the Philippine context.
As a group, we do not advocate for any specific political ideology, but we have set standards regarding the posting of harmful and denigrating pieces that may affect minority groups. We see our platform as a space of student voices, and thus, view that it is our responsibility to highlight the diversity of learning and to use our abilities as a space of learning. Our intention is to host a platform for Filipino students to grasp more erudition that they can share to others. That is why we exist. The freedom of learning is a right and we must partake that.
Table of
Page
MESSAGE FROM THE AUTHORS Title Page Concept
1
WOMEN’S ROLE IN SOCIETY
5
HISTORY OF GENDER STEREOTYPES
7
Izel Fernandez
Charlene Enriquez
WHAT MAKES A WOMAN
13
SOCIETY ON WOMEN EMPOWERMENT
15
ICONIC FILIPINO WOMEN
19
John Oliver Gambon
Grazielle Lin
Marco Miguel Galang
PHOTO & TRIVIA PAGE
23
Izel Fernandez
PAST AND PRESENT ISSUES
25
WOMEN OF TODAY
27
ABOUT THE GROUP
29
Felice Holmes
Kenzo Liu
Meet the Members
REFERENCES
31
Contents
Page
5 | SIKLAB
The History of Gender Stereotypes and Women Empowerment in Today’s Context by Charlene Enriquez
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The vast majority of discourse regarding the feminist movement is Western-centric, thus there is a necessity to tackle localized issues of women’s rights in the country in order to flesh out the local movement’s relevance and contributions from past until present. In order to do this, let us take a look at the chronological development of feminism in the Philippines across different contexts. Women Empowerment: Pre-Colonial Era Until the present day, women in the country feel the vestiges of oppression in the way they are treated by society. Even though the Philippines was called as the most “gender equal country in Asia” by the World Economic Forum (WEF) in 2019, it is hard to remain blind to the systematic web of transgressions committed against womankind - coming in the form of unequal wages and job opportunities, disproportionate levels of physical and sexual abuse and trafficking, and other instances of aggressions uniquely weaved and even normalized in the day-to-day living of Filipinas. This is an unfortunate set of circumstances with which we must quickly respond to. Before we look to the present, we must look at our pre-colonial roots. To uncover this past is to uncover the vast potential of our progressive society before it was ruthlessly engulfed and replaced by colonial attitudes.
The institution of the family and the different customs under it were impartial in its treatment of both men and women. Divorce was permitted instead of women being tied to their male partners for life. After marriage, women were also able to keep their own names - and if they were distinguished, their husbands would take their names. In the larger community sphere, women were permitted positions of power. In the principal or noble class, women could succeed their kin as chiefs of barangay or clan. Moreover, women held the position of head priestesses, also called babaylan or catalonan. These were positions held in great respect as barangays often turned to them for problems that datus couldn’t solve. Furthermore, social norms were not unforgiving to women as they are now. Unwed mothers were not shamed and virginity amongst women was not an expected or preferred value imposed upon them. As such, these women were able to unrestrictedly go about their community liberated from the chains of social expectations. As quoted from Hill and Douglas, “...while there was a bias towards males in terms of inheritance and martial leadership, it was by no means a systematic bias against women. Society was not, in the words of anthropologist Robert Fox, ‘patricentric’.”
“...while there was a bias towards males in terms of inheritance and martial leadership, it was by no means a systematic bias against women. Society was not, in the words of anthropologist Robert Fox, patricentric.”
Importing the Patriarchy Spain arrived and they brought a capitalist engine and a centralized means of production which effectively enforced a division of labor which tagged men as laborers and women as homestayers. During the pre-colonial era, the lack of gendered labor divisions meant women were free to seek jobs in equal capacity as their male counterparts and mobilize through society without hindrance. This type of empowerment was viewed as a threat by Spanish conquistadores and quickly set to work to subjugate this progressive setup. The institutionalization of mercantilism as the economic system came with the men developing higher labor value because the Spanish hired them, and only them, as farmhands, soldiers, etc. On the other hand, women were systematically excluded from participating in the economic regime – thus forcing them to become dependent on men for their survival.
This process was further reinforced by the Christianization of the archipelago by Spain. Congruent with the religious colonization was the erasure of pre-colonial religious systems through the hunting or the conversion of priestesses. These efforts were not successful immediately, as a couple of religiously-motivated nativist uprisings were carried out such as the one led by Tapar in 1663, a newly Christianized babaylan from Iloilo who created a new religion and “went about in the garb of a woman”. Along with his adherents, they slew a Spanish friar and burned down a church. They were later captured and slain but it can be seen how the natives fought against the religious subjugation of the colonizers. Nonetheless, the religious spread of the Church eventually grew to become successful and a new generation of Filipinos grew with this indoctrinated ideology. In homilies, priests would preach about the role of women being pliant individuals who should shed their empowered personalities. This type of image became attached to women, as seen in the idealization of Maria Clara in Jose Rizal’s penultimate novels. Unfortunately, this type of idealization remains alive in Philippine society until today thanks to the unshakeable influence of the Church. Spanish colonization brought with it many plagues to the country, one of which is the patriarchal system that was once absent from our lands.
The First Steps Towards Regaining Autonomy Of course, our Filipino women’s spirit and passion would not leave despite the centuries of subjugation. They fought for their importance, pride, and honor. Filipinas were involved in the Revolutionary movement against the Spaniards, with the KKK having a women’s wing that aided in the operations of the movement. The rundown of conspicuous Filipino ladies in history incorporate Gabriela Silang, Gregoria de Jesus, Agueda Kahabagan, Teresa Magbanua, Melchora Aquino, Trinidad Tecson among others. They did not just take care of the injured Katipunan soldier or request food and cash for the movement, they likewise served in the more perilous assignments of communicating messages and concealing records. A few of them were also involved in battles and arrived at the position of general in the progressive armed force. Resisting the narrative of docility forced upon women, they took up arms along with their husbands and without their participation, our freedom would not have been secured.
After this period of history, two new colonizers came to invade the islands. Under the American regime at the turn of the 19th century, education of the Filipinos was invested in heavily as part of their colonist agenda. This included the introduction of public school systems which were open even to women. This created opportunities for more Filipino women to earn college degrees and enter into the fields of business and academe, which were previously exclusive to their male counterparts. Thus it led to a flourishing of women’s influence in economics and other social spheres. Despite the educational empowerment provided by American policy, however, Filipino women were still discontent with their status as second-class citizens. Even though the foreign-brought concept of democracy sought to espouse equality amongst all, women were still excluded from the political process of voting. As a response, many women joined and organized for the right to suffrage. The 1935 Constitution stipulated that the right to suffrage would only be granted if 300,000 women voted in its favor during a national plebiscite. Women’s rights activists and organizations rose to the challenge – such as The Asociacion Feminista Filipina organized in July 1905 under the leadership of Dona Concepcion Felix and shortly after,
Asociación Femenista Ilonga was also organized by Pura Villanueva. These campaigns were successful as the plebiscite resulted in 447, 725 votes in favor; the women exceeded the quota! Thus, women were finally granted the right to vote in 1937. This allowed for more direct political participation such as voting in elections and running for office. Under the Japanese colonial period, the country suffered under a military government which brought about many war crimes including massacres of local civilians and mass rapes. Many Filipinas were victims of sexual violence as they were forcefully captured to work as comfort women for Japanese soldiers, alongside Korean and Chinese women. These brutal means of violence drove many women to participate in the local guerilla resistance such as the HUKBALAHAP, where they fought valiantly alongside men to attain freedom once more. After the proclamation of Philippine independence on July 4, 1946, women participated in the postwar government and mainstream politics.
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The Modern Evolution of Philippine Feminism The postcolonial era was marked with a more active participation of women in the different domains of society. They joined in the popular resistance against Marcos’ dictatorship. They joined opposition organizations, and others even became combatants in rebel movements. Different organizations like the Malayang Kilusan ng Bagong Kababaihan or MAKIBAKA (Free Movement of New Women) would also become popular during this time. They were established with an explicitly feminist agenda and became famous for its all-women picket of the Bb. Pilipinas coronation night on April 18, 1970. It was with these groups where feminism advanced to an intersectional context, advocating for social issues that intersect with their experiences as women such as class and wealth.
Today, there is a proliferation of women’s organizations. General Assembly Binding Women for Reforms, Integrity, Equality, Leadership and Action (GABRIELA) is at the foremost of these organizations – an umbrella which unites different women’s groups from different sectors and ideological leanings. They are able to lobby the government as a united front for different feminist agendas. They also get to represent their constituents in government assemblies and create legislation for the welfare of women.
What is clear is the fact that there is no correct way to become a feminist. As complicated as the world is today, so too is the fight for true autonomy as a woman. Empowerment is not confined to any one action or ideology either. One who is religious and conservative is as equally valid as another individual with a liberal perspective. Resistance also comes in many forms – demonstrations, mass rallies, pursuing education, becoming a business leader, joining in community development initiatives, writing literature and art. In order to become a feminist, one must respect the plurality of womanhood and its experiences and seek to amplify their voices instead of subverting them back into silence. Recorded history even from our pre-colonial roots strive to teach us this lesson; we must not let the struggles of all the women who came before us be for naught.
Then and Now
The Board of Directors of the National Federation of Women’s Clubs of the Philippines which took a lead in the campaign. (1937)
The One Billion Rising campaign done annually to oppose women abuse and exploitation. (2017)
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What makes a woman? Body A person’s gender and their physical body has a relationship which goes beyond reproductive functions. Studies show that neurology, endocrinology, and cellular biology has a role for an individual’s experience of gender. Research also shows that our brain has a key role in an individual’s gender experience. This means that a person may feel that their gender is contrary to what their physical body is. Transwomen people for example are born male but because of certain biological processes that take place in their brain, they would feel like they’re women trapped inside a man’s body. Identity An individual’s gender is a core aspect of their identity. Gender identity is the personal experience and label of one’s own gender. It may or may not correspond to assigned sex at birth. An individual can not choose their own gender.
Gender identity is something that comes from within us. An example would be Gabriella Silang. She is a woman because, aside from having a woman’s physique, she identifies as a woman and plays the role of a woman in the society she belongs to. She did not choose to identify as a woman but it came from within her identity. Social Gender The third dimension of gender is social gender. An important part of social gender is gender expression. This is the way we portray our gender to the society through our mannerisms, clothing, hairstyles etc. Social gender also includes the way other people would perceive and try to shape an individual’s gender. Male Babaylans can be used as an example on how gender expression is manifested. They dress up like women and perform some of the roles women play in the pre-colonial society. In a way, they are women in the bodies of men.
Content:Oliver Gambon | Layout: Grazielle Lin
IDENTITY Gender identity is the personal experience and label of one’s own gender.
SOCIAL GENDER The way we portray our gender to the society through our mannerisms, clothing, hairstyles etc.
BODY A person’s gender and their physical body has a relationship which goes beyond reproductive functions.
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This is first seen in the political scene, wherein women became involved as candidates for positions previously only reserved for males. Women initially served only as support or assistants to male politicians, lawyers, presidents, and the like. Additionally, women could only move up ranks when married to someone of high rank, or inherited the riches and property of their deceased spouse, though they would still remain anonymous or politically insignificant. Although the efforts of these women were greatly undervalued, it does not erase the fact that women were taking on jobs not "prescribed" to them, which also contributed to pioneering for change of women's roles in society.
Women empowerment gave rise to self-awareness. When given the equal chance of participation, it simultaneously introduces situations wherein one can come at an understanding of their worth. In the context of women empowerment, simply giving an equal opportunity and the right footing is a gesture of respect towards a woman's dignity due to herself. Women were then able to imprint themselves in society, shifting its structure and culture. However, these accomplishments and achievements don't always translate into the reality of things. Women still face inequalities and unfair treatment directly and indirectly through policies, stereotypes, social practices, limited opportunities, and longstanding traditions.
ARTICLE BY GRAZIELLE LIN | LAYOUT BY IZEL FERNANDEZ
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women rights are human rights 'man @luisemmanuel
Marvin Fojas @marvsfojas
bakit mag-aadjust ang mga babae sa lipunan sila ang nagluwal?
luh bHie 2020 na, let's stop toxic gender norms. Women can do, and even surpass, whatever men can do. You do you bHie!
2:21 AM • 8/29/20 • Twitter for Android
1:01 PM • 9/2/20 • Twitter for iPhone
Mufaro Mpofu @mpofu_mufaro
Gender equality and women empowerment are key for any prospective state. The inclusion of women in public policy and governance processes is a milestone in achieving peace and development. 6:21 PM • 9/4/20 • Twitter for Android
#JunkTerrorLaw @marquingina
keyel @keyelerio
sino nagsabi na pwede niyong i-degrade ang mga kababaihan dahil lang sa lalaki kayo? BABAE kami, hindi kami baabe lang 8:33 AM • 9/7/20 • Twitter for Android
Rainier @rainieeeerrrr
Transgender women are women. Abante, babae. Palaban, militante. #PrideIsAProtest #TransLivesMatter
Women should be respected and treated right. wala sa suot yan, kung m*nyak ka, m*nyak ka.
6:22 AM • 3/8/20 • Twitter for Android
1:01 PM • 9/2/20 • Twitter for iPhone
SUSG Advocacy Committee sgadvocom
SUSG Advocacy Committee sgadvocom
Women are not born to be baby-makers. If women don’t want any children, they are not less of a woman.
“Ang hina mo naman, para kang babae.” Stop using “girl” or “you’re such a girl” as an insult. Women does not equal weak.
August 21, 2020 • Facebook page
August 21, 2020 • Facebook page
Women's Issues: The Past and The Present Article by: Felice Holmes
In the Philippines, there are laws that protect women from abuse and violence. However, these laws protecting women were non-existent in the past, which even prevented them from their right to education. Despite the progression of including laws to protect women, there still exists pressing issues that affect the safety and well-being of women at present. In order to understand these issues, one must look back and retrace the history to reach a better understanding of the arising issues concerning women at present. Looking back at the past, women’s issues were prevalent and it dates back to the colonization of the Spaniards where the friars dictated women’s beliefs, religion, and what to do with their bodies. They took it upon themselves to prohibit any sexual acts such as masturbation, homosexuality, sexual touching, and matters similar to the aforementioned activities (Gealogo, 2010: p. 6970). This prohibition resulted in consciousness around women’s bodies causing shame and disgrace to themselves. It was then and there that it continued to progress to the 20th century where women had to fight for the right to vote and spoke up about the struggle of fighting for their basic right as citizens of the country. During this century, the poor health care system for mothers and children resulted in a rapid increase in the mortality rate for women and their children.
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As the Philippines entered the Second World War, Filipino women were taken for granted and treated as comfort women. These women were promised jobs and a better future only to be brutally raped in comfort houses and subjected to sexual crimes heavier than rape. This was amongst the worst case of systematic rape suffered by women in wartime (Kimura, 2003). The issues surrounding women progressed into the postwar years, women were shunned from the need to create new reforms and structural changes for society.
Speaking of which the issues experienced by women in the post-war year are still being experienced today, Filipino Women are still fighting for both personal and societal issues which are sexism in the media, violation of women’s reproductive rights, gender inequality and among other issues. A Present Legistor named Sittie Lao was 22 years old when she decided to run for her position in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao also known as ARMM. It was then the public criticized her for her gender and for being a woman running for a position intended for men. The public refused to acknowledge her merits and her capabilities in the position. Filipinas are being ridiculed for partaking in organizations that could belittle them because the public believes that a woman should not be doing the work that was previously exclusive to men only. Despite the progression of including laws to protect women, there still exists pressing issues that affect the safety and well-being of women at present. In order to understand these issues, one must look back and retrace the history to reach a better understanding of the arising issues concerning women at present. With that being said, having progressed from the Colonized Philippines to the Present Philippines, we can see that the country still has a long way to go as far as gender inequality, sexism and denying basic rights of women are still prevalent in the media and society today. We, as Filipinos, need to do our part in creating a society to make every citizen feel safe and represented.
WOMEN'S PERSPECTIVE
TODAY
Written by Marc Kenzo Liu
In recent history, the Philippines has become one of the most advanced countries when it comes to gender equality. The World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Global Gender Gap Report shows that the Philippines is still ranked number 1 in Asia in terms of gender equality as of 2019. The Annual Global Gender Gap Report uses four categories in measuring gender equality index, namely Economic Participation and Opportunity, Educational Attainment, Health and Survival, and Political Empowerment. However, the Philippines has dropped a few ranks globally from 2018 to 2020 despite still being number one in Asia. This could be due to several flaws and unaddressed issues of inequality that are still present in the Philippines, especially in the four aforementioned categories.
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As of 2020, gender equality in terms of economic participation in the Philippines seems to be in a strong place. Even though most businesses are still male-dominated, strong female entrepreneurs and business leaders are far from irrelevant. Female representations in the field of business such as Ms. Tessie SyCoson and Ms. Doris Magsaysay-Hoy both received mentions in Fortune Magazine's top 50 most powerful women in the world. On the other hand, education is one of the female-dominated fields in the Philippines. Based on the Philippine Statistics Authority, the proportion of the population of the Philippines which have completed elementary favors females. Both the basic and functional literacy rates of female adolescents in the Philippines are higher than that of male adolescents The health sector, however, is where Filipino women struggle the most. Women in armed conflict, prostitution, prison, and single women are the ones most often in difficult situations.
Domestic abuse still exists as a prevalent issue despite the several laws against it, which could be due to the fact that divorce is non-existent in the Philippines. Given that the only option for separation in the Philippines is a lengthy, expensive, and complicated annulment, it is no surprise that there are several women who are trapped in abusive relationships. Other factors that affect poor healthcare for women in the Philippines include reproductive risks at work (pregnancy), inadequate gender-responsive services for women, and environmental hazards. Lastly, it may seem that the political scene for women in the Philippines has always been in a strong place, given that the country has already elected two female presidents. However this is not the case. From 1996 to 2016, the proportion of women in politics, in comparison to men, has not reached over 30%. This could be due to existing norms and stereotypes such as the world of governance and politics being “for men�, and that women tend to be indecisive and emotional.
This should not be the case however, given that previous women in political power have shown that they are just as capable. These aforementioned issues only show that gender inequality and gender gaps still exist in these varying sectors, and continues to hinder further development in several social aspects in the Philippines. Even though the Global Gender Gap Report states that the Philippines is already a relatively good place for women compared to the rest of Asia, the Philippines must still continue to strive for improvement. The Philippines should not only maintain its top spot in the Global Gender Gap Report in Asia, but also strive to solve the remaining issues in order to maximize overall societal development and gender equality. Layout by Izel Praise Fernandez
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S I K L A B simbuyo, katatagan, laban ng kababaihan
Layout
Articles
Izel Fernandez Kenzo Liu Grazielle Lin Marco Galang Felice Holmes Oliver Gambon Charlene Enriquez
GERPHIS A56 - MR. NOY MACAPINLAC