100 Years of struggle

FILIPINO WOMEN SALUTE 100 YEARS OF THEIR STRUGGLE

TOWARDS EMANCIPATION AND AUTONOMY

In celebration of International Women’s Day last March 8, Kilos Kabaro 2* gathered around one thousand and five hundred fifty women and men on that day at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani in Quezon City. The commemorative activity honored the centennial year of the women’s movement in the Philippines.  The birth of the women’s movement came when Asociacion Feminista Filipina (Filipina Feminist Association) was formed in June 1905.  It focused its work on social issues and the improvement of women’s welfare.  A year later in the southern province of Iloilo, the Asociacion Feminista Ilonga (Ilonga Feminist Association) started its 30-year struggle for Filipino women’s right to vote and to run for political office.

Representing 50 grassroots and non-governmental organizations, poor and middle class women, young and old, came to honor contemporary heroines whose devotion to the just cause of women could not be understated.  The momentous event was also planned to coincide with the launching of the women’s charter and a quilt relay by the World March of Women as part of the international campaign against poverty and VAW.

Several yards of sign-on streamer was prominently displayed at the main entrance of the venue where arriving participants and guests could scribble their names expressing support for the women’s charter.

A memorabilia depicting one hundred years of the feminist movement in the country greeted everyone.  It also showed photos of events and women from other countries that significantly contributed to the wealth of ideas and experiences of  national and local efforts on women’s emancipation in the country.

The huge crowd then splintered into groups and entered the five separate large tents for the one-hour Interactive Forum.  The forum themes and the responsible organization were VAW in conflict/militarized situations by Amnesty International,  migration issues such as deportation, torture, trafficking by Kanlungan and KaKaMMPi¹ poverty issues like the value-added tax or VAT and demolition by WEDPRO², social services covering water and housing security by ZOTO³, and fundamentalism by Likhaan⁴ and WomenLEAD⁵.

A cultural program from 4:00 to 7:00 pm was opened by a banner dance by Teatro Hulyo 23 with the participation of KK2 member-organizations.  It was followed by a community singing of an upbeat women’s song entitled “Bangon Maria!” (literally, Rise Up, Mary!).  Dr. Sylvia Estrada-Claudio, chair of the Board of Likhaan, welcomed everybody and opened the program.  Next was a solidarity message from a woman-activist from the days of the Marcos dictatorship.  She shared her experiences and insights about the arduous tasks and formidable challenges which they faced in founding MaKiBaKa⁶, a national women’s organization, and bringing the women’s agenda into the consciousness of the people’s movement and the public-at-large during that difficult period in the history of the country.  Although not part of the program, elderly women who were once comfort women during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines, rendered a song-and-dance number which told about their own experiences.  A Muslim woman  also talked about the increasing number of human rights violations committed by the police and the military against Muslims suspected as terrorists or supporters.  A poetry-reading which featured noted Filipino feminist activists not only paid tribute to women poets, but also chronicled women’s assertions on relationships, sexuality and feminism.

The most important part of the cultural program was a tribute to grassroots women leaders.  These women have dedicated a great part of their lives not only in organizing, mobilizing and empowering women workers, farmers, and urban poor women, but also in the struggle for national democracy.  “Grassroots feminists have been rarely recognized for their contributions as the movement has been associated with elite women,” Dr. Junice Demeterio-Melgar of Likhaan mentioned when she introduced the portion.  One after the other, the honorees were introduced by women who knew them well.

An alternative band rendered several compositions which spoke of women’s issues and concerns.  At one point, a woman folk singer was invited to join the band and lead the crowd in singing “Babae” (Woman), along with several members of KK2.  Amnesty International-Pilipinas, a member of KK2, showed a video clip of KK2’s past and current undertakings.  A concert by a well-known Filipino woman artist, coupled by a dance party, ended the five-hour meaningful and enjoyable occasion.

The struggle of Filipino women for emancipation and autonomy continues!

Contact Person:  Tish Vito Cruz

Organization: Likhaan (KK2 Secretariat)

Kilos Kabaro 2 (Act Sister!), is an alliance of 31 organizations of poor women and NGOs that provide various services to the community.  Poverty and violence against women (VAW) are its main areas of concern.

Notes:

1. Kapisanan ng mga Kamag-anak ng Migranteng Pilipino, Inc. (literally, Association of Families of Migrant Filipinos).
2. Women’s Education, Development, Productivity and Research Organization.
3. Zone One Tondo Organization.
4. Linangan ng Kababaihan, Inc. (Center for Women’s Development).
5. Women’s Legal Education, Advocacy and Defense.
6. Malayang Kilusang Bagong Kababaihan (literally, Democratic Movement of New Women).