Principe says women struggle far from over

By CHARLES RAYMOND A. MAXEY
Councilor Antoinette “Petite” Principe-Castrodes on Monday said the struggle of women for equality, civil liberties and human rights is “far from over” despite the passage of laws that protect them and programs that were implemented to uplift their living conditions.
“Yes, the struggle is far from over,” Principe-Castrodes said during the regular flag-raising ceremonies at the City Hall grounds Monday morning.
While she acknowledged the fact that women today are being given more representations, Principe-Castrodes said a significant amount of violations of the rights given to them still persist.
“We need not look past our city to see that there are women from all walks of life being abused physically and emotionally by their husbands or domestic partners. There are still prostituted women who, despite the struggle to be seen as the victims, are still portrayed as the offenders,” she said.
“There are still various establishments that thrive on the commercialization and commodification of women in the guise of beauty contests and the like,” she added.
The City Government through the Integrated Gender and Development Office (IGDO) is organizing a series of activities this week in time for the International Women’s Day celebration on March 8 and has invited Principe to speak on women in yesterday’s ceremony.
In her speech, the councilor from the third district briefed the city government employees on how women were almost left out years ago and how they were finally recognized as the years passed.
Principe-Castrodes cited the installation of Cozaron C. Aquino as the country’s first woman President and the passage of laws that protect women, including the Women’s Development Code of Davao City, a landmark legislation of the city’s lawmaking body.
She also mentioned the rise of Sara Duterte-Carpio as the city’s first elected woman mayor. The present Sangguniang Panlungsod of Davao is also composed of 10 female councilors.
But to Principe-Castrodes, amid these “little victories” that the Filipino woman has fought so bravely these past few decades lies a sad reality that women are still being abused physically and emotionally.
“Indeed we do not have to go far to see that various transgressions against women’s rights are being committed every single day,” Principe-Castrodes said.
“These transgressions only create a deeper divide and are truly against the vision of a society where men and women are equal, both in the rights afforded as well as in the opportunities given to them,” she added.
The celebration of the women’s day or month, Principe-Castrodes said, is not about women asserting superiority over the men, but a declaration that women have the same rights as the men in our society.
“This declaration has been the product of the years of struggle and numerous lives sacrificed for the cause.Let us pay tribute to those women who paved the way for future generations of women enjoying the opportunities that they have now,” she said.