Clubs pledge support to GMA on Int’l Day

Being a woman and a journalist besides, I was invited to the celebration of International Women’s Day at Malacañang early this month. Some 38 clubs were represented by nearly 800 women led by Leonarda N. Camacho, president of the Metro Manila Council of Women Balikatan Movement, and these women pledged their unconditional support to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Among the organizations represented at the gathering were the Catholic Women’s Club, the Catholic Women’s League, Cavite City Women’s Movement, Cebu Federation of Women’s Clubs, Girl Scouts of the Philippines, Inner Wheel Club, Kababaihang Rizalista, League of Puericulture Centers, Ligao Women’s Club of Albay, Local Council of Women, LGU Sorsogon City, Maguindanao Federation of Women’s Clubs, Makati Women’s Club, Metro Manila Balikatan Movement and seven of its many chapters, Muslim Women’s Association, National Commission on the Role of Women, National Council of Women, National Federation of Women’s Clubs, Board and Advisers, National Historical Institute, Pangasinan Federation of Women’s Clubs, Philippine Association of University Women, Philippine Nurses’ Association, Rosario Women’s Movement of Cavite, Rural Improvement Clubs, San Pablo City Federation of Women’s Clubs, Silang Uliran Women’s Club of Cavite, Soroptimist Club, Southern Police District Taguig, Group of Hadja Putri Zorayda Tamano, Trece Martirez Women’s Movement, Women in Travel, Women’s Lawyers, Women’s Rights Movement and the YWCA.

Opening remarks were given by Leonarda Camacho, Myrna Yao, chairpersons of the National Commission on the Role of Women, introduced the presidents or heads of the organizations.

President Macapagal Arroyo was the picture of poise and tranquility; nothing in her demeanor or expression suggested she was the embattled and beleaguered head of state.

Her speech in Pilipino was the soul of brevity. Here it is:

Sa panahong ito maraming mga kababaihan ang may kanya-kanyang organisasyon. Ang mga kababaihan ay dapat magkaroon ng palagiang pagkakaisa. Dapat din ang mga kababaihan ay laging magtulungan. Nasa mga kababaihan ang mas malawak at angat sa kaisipan. Madaling tumulong lalo na sa pangkakawang-gawa. Sa paggawa ng mga proyekto, maayos at madaliang naisasagawa ang mga tungkulin. Ako’y natutuwa sa inyong lahat dahil nagkita-kita tayo dito sa Rizal Hall Malacañang upang ipagdiwang ang International Women’s Day. Kaya ako’y nagpapasalamat at nakilala ko kayo at nakilala ninyo ako, lalo na si President Narda Camacho. Inaasahan kong tayong mga kababaihan ay magkakasama-samang muli.

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The history of the feminist movement in the Philippines, written by Narda Camacho, which account was on the printed program, explained the many reasons why women should celebrate International Women’s Month.

Narda made some startling revelations and here are some of them. I quote: Although the first club for women was actually organized in June 1905 and aptly called Asociacion Feminista Filipina, the Filipino women were always at the forefront of society.

As a matter of fact, long before the Spaniards arrived in 1521, the Filipino women enjoyed an amazing position in society. Customary laws gave them the right to be equal with men, to own and inherit property and to engage in business. They were in politics – they could succeed to royal leadership in the absence of a male heir. Remember Princess Urduja? That was in the 1380s.

And what’s more, the men walked behind the women!

Gender inequality was unheard of – it came centuries later.

In 1883, the first Women’s Masonic Lodge was founded by Rosario Villaruel, Trinidad Rizal, Marina Dizon and Romualda Lanuza.

And believe it or not, Andres Bonifacio himself organized in 1895 the women’s chapter of the Katipunan. Wives (e.g., Gregoria de Jesus), daughters and sisters of members were recruited. The women carried documents inside their long skirts and danced and sang in the living rooms while the men met in the backrooms.

Remember the spunky women of Malolos who, in 1899, rebuked the priests for not allowing them to conduct classes for women? Among those women were members of the Tiongson, Tantoco, Tanchangco, Aldaba, Reyes and Vitangcol families.

I have omitted several paragraphs from Narda’s history. She concludes: It took American women 100 years to attain suffrage. It took the Filipino women 16 years – from 1921 to 1937.

The feminist movement has come into its own.