"Babae, Mahusay Ka!" A Celebration of Women in Different Fields

In a patriarchal country wherein underlying inequalities, a history of oppression, and discrimination crises thrown against women are already embedded in the system of society, National Women’s Month as a celebration is not just something to be commemorated. 

It is an annual protest about pursuing full liberation of women, and a reminder of the contributions of women in the economy, arts, science, governance, environment, and all areas for national development. 

March is the celebration of National Women’s Month as inspired by the International Women’s Day Celebration every 8th of March. This stemmed from the efforts of the 20th-century women in the United States who fought for their rights to education, rights to vote, rights to earn wages, and rights to have protective legislation.

Among the list of notable Filipino women are: Fe del Mundo, Lualhati Bautista, and Regina “Gina” Lopez

𝗔 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝗯𝘂𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

In conversations about women empowerment and gender equality, we should not forget to include women living in rural areas. To this end, Fe del Mundo, in hopes of helping rural communities that struggle with electricity, invented the bamboo incubator in 1941. It is important to note that even women who reside in cities have a difficult time with accessibility in terms of services made and catered to women, especially those who are pregnant. 

These are frequently expensive even if they are within reach. However, for women who live in far-flung areas, not only are these services expensive, but they are also out of their reach. This is what del Mundo wishes to change. In an article by Nolisolo about creating the bamboo incubator, Fe del Mundo said, “We had to do with whatever was available”.  Years later, del Mundo managed to build the very first pediatric hospital in the Philippines which is now named: Dr. Fe del Mundo Children’s Medical Center Foundation, a testament to her affinity for motherhood and womanhood.

𝗔 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝗯𝘂𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗟𝗼𝘃𝗲

It may be difficult to believe but Dekada ‘70 was not written to be politically charged. It was written from a mother’s perspective; one filled with love and worry for bearing a son in a situation that could be so dangerous for one. Well-known radical writer, Lualhati Bautista, did not intend for her works to be a beacon of activism, rather, she had written them as a love letter; not only to mothers and sons but also to the women who wanted to speak out but never could. 

She was known for writing such feisty female characters, that it served as an escape from the overt censorship during the Martial Law. Her characters were heroes who directly say what others only think of, in fear of the punishment that comes after. With this, Bautista brings a new meaning to the Filipino woman: full of love and ever so brave to speak her mind.

𝗔 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝗯𝘂𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵𝘆

“Love is a force of change.” Women have been battling with the connotation that emotions drive their choices. Regina “Gina” Lopez, former Department of Environment and Natural Resources and known as a brave eco-warrior proves otherwise that there is nothing wrong with integrating empathy and love in fighting for one’s advocacy. Lopez spearheaded the closure of 26 mining companies, led river rehabilitation revolutions, and ordered the reforestation of the La Mesa Watershed Reservation. Though her leadership as the DENR Secretary was cut short, her advocacy continued as she founded a non-governmental organization that invested in green economic development.

𝗕𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗼𝗿

All of these remind us that the said door was constructed by society to be solely used by men. We are reminded, yet again, that society does not build these doors for women, they have to fight tooth and nail to build these doors for themselves. The thing is, we may not need that door at all. 

Because while we usually see opportunities as things that may be accessed by locating this one huge door and holding the right key to open it, there’s more to women's empowerment than just opening a door, or making a new one. It involves the smashing of the wall— leaving a huge hole and the rubble, both signifying struggle then newfound freedom. 

These wonderful women are only three out of the millions of women in the country who proved that the terms empowerment, intelligence, and capability to make a difference in the world can co-exist with femininity. Women being able to unfold their full potential, make decisions, and actualize them is the sole purpose of this celebration.