Villar, Angara recognize women’s role in nation’s progress

CEBU, Philippines - Former Las Piñas Representative and senatorial aspirant Cynthia Villar said that women have a big role to play in making a country progressive by starting it within themselves and their own family.

“It is my belief that women play an important role in nation-building. Sa aking paniniwala may importante tayong papel sa ating pamilya, komunidad at bansa,” said Villar, who was recently awarded as one of  “The Women Entrepreneur Icons and Filipina Entrepreneurs of 2013” by Go Negosyo.

“The women is the sector closest to my heart being a woman and a public servant. Ang pagiging empowered ay hindi lamang nakasalalay sa laki ng iyong suweldo, sa taas ng iyong antas ng edukasyon, sa posisyon mo sa trabaho, lipunan o gobyerno. Kung ikaw ay mabuting ina, maasikasong asawa, mapagmalasakit na kapatid at ulirang anak, you are more empowered than the most powerful women in the country,” said Villar during the culminating activity of Women’s Month in Bohol province yesterday.

She related that when she was congresswoman of the lone district of Las Piñas from 2001- 2010, she prioritized legislations that upheld the welfare of women and family.

Among these pieces of legislation are the Magna Carta for Women, Anti-Violence against Women and Anti-Trafficking against Women and Children Law.

She said the Villar Foundation, where she is managing director, believes that the best help that they can give to the women sector is through livelihood skills training. The women then earn through livelihood and not by being given alms.

Meanwhile, senatorial aspirant Edgardo “Sonny” Angara, in a separate interview, said that the number of women holding decision-making positions in the civil service remains at a low 35 percent despite the five-year implementation of the Magna Carta for Women that mandates equal sharing of the supervisory roles by men and women within a five-year period.

Angara, one of the principal authors of the Magna Carta for Women, said that when this law took effect in 2009, hopes were high that the 50-50 percent sharing of leadership roles in civil service would be observed. — (FREEMAN)