Bigger role for women in Bangsamoro region pushed

MANILA, Philippines - Women lawmakers and non-government organizations are pushing the approval of provisions in the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) that would strengthen the participation of women in the new autonomous entity.

Anak Mindanao party-list Rep. Sitti Djalia Turabin-Hataman facilitated a dialogue on Friday between lawmakers and various women’s groups at the House of Representatives to discuss their proposals.

She said the meeting was a culmination of consultations conducted by various non-government organizations, including the Women Engaged in Action (We Act 1325) on the engenderment of the draft law.

Hataman said they would submit their proposals to the House committee on women and gender equality chaired by Bulacan Rep. Linabelle Villarica, which in turn will endorse the proposal to an ad hoc panel.

We Act 1325 executive director Jasmin Galace said among their proposals are protection from sexual and other forms of violence; ensure a sufficient number of women in the Bangsamoro parliament, Cabinet, Shari’ah justice system, Bangsamoro police, joint normalization committee and peace and security committee; and recognize equal access to land ownership.

Deputy Speaker and Batanes Rep. Henedina Abad said the dialogue brought a new perspective on how people look at the draft law.

Nation’s interest

Meanwhile, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) yesterday appealed to both houses of Congress to consider the interest of the nation when they tackle the BBL. 

“The CBCP urges the legislature to do its part: to study the measure assiduously, to debate it vigorously and to place the interests of the nation and the vision of lasting, principled peace before every petty consideration,” said CBCP president Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas in a statement.

He said those who have reservations or oppose the proposal should speak their minds.

“The lessons we have learned from the painful conflicts that now rend apart the troubled nations of the Middle East should leave no doubt that to be enduring and acceptable, any settlement, any organic act, any piece of constitutive legislation must be as inclusive as possible,” he said.

“We insist on the participation in the exchange and debate of the members of the indigenous cultural communities and the indigenous peoples in Mindanao. It would violate the tenets of social justice to ignore them under the pretext of going by the desires of the majority,” he added. 

Villegas said the CBCP stands with the government and with all those seeking and striving for peace.

 “The dream of peace in Mindanao has been a common national aspiration for a very long time now,” he said.  – With Evelyn Macairan, Eva Visperas