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“Development cannot be achieved if fifty percent of the population is excluded from the opportunities it brings,” quoted Helen Clark, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Administrator as with fitting and indispensable relevance to the third target of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) hopefully to be realized by 2015.
It is but true that a nation cannot pace forward if its constituents, who stand as the biggest assets of spurring development, are in shattered figure or perhaps, are divided by some invisible gap that knows no equality among Filipinos. With account to this, Filipinos are found to be in a different, more pleasing figure as they show no abhorrence in the quest of promoting gender equality and women empowerment in the country.
On the same track, in its participation to this global commitment set by the MDGs, Philippines brims positive results as far as promoting gender equality and women empowerment is concerned. According to an article by the inquirer.net released last October 28, 2009, the Philippines ranked ninth in the top 10 ranking of countries where women face the least discrimination. The recognition was according to the World Economic Forum (WEF) affirmed by the WEF’s Global Gender Gap Index, which measures economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, political empowerment, health and survival of women in 134 countries, saying further that Philippines was the only Asian country in the top 10.
“The Philippines had closed the gender gap on both education and health and is among only 12 in the world to have done so," according to the WEF.
It brings no doubt that Philippines has gained accolades in roaming surveys related to women empowerment and promotion of gender equality , since in respect to women empowerment, the Magna Carta of Women (also known as the RA 9710) was not long ago been concreted into law when president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo signed the bill last August 2009. The recently affirmed law seeks to guarantee and protect the basic rights and freedoms of Filipino women, especially those in the marginalized sector, and promote the development of their well-being whether here or abroad.
The Manila Bulletin stated in one of its articles in www.mb.com.ph, that at long last, Filipino women could look forward to better protection from discrimination and abuse as well as enjoy equal opportunities and access to resources as the main privilege offered by the Magna Carta.
Indeed, Filipinos have been greatly taking actions to provide a nation for themselves that where equality and harmony dwells over chains of inequalities and biases – a country envisioned by everyone in the pursuit of the MDGs.
In the same realm, the recently closing of the phenomenal Pinoy Big Brother Double Up Edition has swept a thousand remarks in one of its housemates, Rica, the hailed goddess of Mathematics from Ilo-ilo, who is a proud transgender. At first, Richard Paras (original name) , found herself in the heaps of destructive criticisms from millions of PBB viewers. However, the resilient Rica never let the gravity of her situation pull her down. She managed to prove to everyone and to her family as well, that she too, and many others in the same situation, is more than what others might initially think of her. That despite her being transgender, she also deserves respect for what others can accomplish, she too, can accomplish, much better than others can.
In her stay in the PBB house, she has proven to the rest of the Filipinos that lesbians, gays, bisexuals or transgenders are also part of the society, and thus must be treated as equal as others. In the end, she did not only awe the viewers with her instinctive intelligence in Math, but she also made them realize of the importance of gender equality in the country (to know more about her profile, see doubleup.pinoybigbrother.com). We should know then from Rica’s experiences that everyone deserves an equal treatment and opportunity with the other. It is only when we come to realize its in-depth essence that we can move forward and achieve progress. It is only then when we come to our senses that everyone is created unique that we take a leap forward to attaining progress and development.
Let’s take it all from Rica as she said in one of PBB’s nomination nights, “Sa isang magandang laban, di’ kailangang pilayan ang kalaban” which subtly bespeaks of her good-naturedness and her being different from her housemates in a much unique way. Now, every Filipino is hoping that like Rica, may we be instruments in promoting gender equality as well as women empowerment in the society we are in so as to bring about a world devoid of partitions and inequalities. May we finally realize that there is lesser that we can accomplish if we become shattered and broken. Lastly, may we be a nation savoring the company of one another, an ideal country living in progress!
SOURCES:
http://buhaypenoy.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/gender_equality.jpg
http://doubleup.pinoybigbrother.com/tabid/59/item/48/Rica.aspx
See original layout by contestant: Download PDF here.
Image used for contest purposes only. Copyright belongs to original source.
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