By Jennifer P. Rendon
Taking women’s empowerment one step at a time.
A staunch supporter of women’s rights, Mayor Rosario Mediatrix Fernandez of San Enrique, Iloilo pushed for the promotion of women’s self-worth, their ability to fend for themselves, and the will to leave abusive relationships.
Fernandez, also the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP)-Iloilo chapter president, was the guest of honor and speaker during the Police Regional Office (PRO) 6’s culminating celebration of the International Women’s Month on Monday, March 27, at the PRO-6 headquarters at Camp Delgado, Iloilo City.
She cited that the Philippine National Police, which is deemed a male-dominated organization, is much more integrated and inclusive along gender lines.
“The present policies strive towards gender equality, but still, women police officers remain just a small percentage of the total force. As a champion of women’s advocacies, I encourage the PNP to hire more women police officers,” she said.
Fernandez stressed that women bring unique skill sets to the profession, including advanced problem-solving skills and social skills in dealing with people.
“It is believed that when women participate in peacemaking and peace-keeping, we are all safer,” she said.
Fernandez also called for a paradigm shift, “in which women can lead any organization to its full potential, by bringing their own experiences, expertise, and skills unique to them. Our nation needs diverse voices: a diversity of ideas, expertise, backgrounds, heritage and gender all add to the capability of our leaders to make major decisions. It also makes any agency like the PNP better and more responsive to the challenges of the changing times.”
Presently, PRO-6 has 2,933 female personnel. Only 97 are police commissioned officers (PCOs) while 2,313 are police non-commissioned officers (PNCOs), and 523 are non-uniformed personnel (NUP).
This accounts for 17.93 percent of the PRO-6’s 13,440 police force.
Fernandez said to lead LMP, an organization of 42 towns with only 11 women mayors and 31 men mayors, is a feat and an achievement that only proves that women are capable leaders who get the job done successfully.
Fernandez added that enabling women is vital to the well-being and social development of families, communities, and countries.
“When women are living safe, fulfilled, and productive lives, they can reach their full potential, contributing their expertise to the workforce and can raise happier and healthier children. They are also able to help fuel sustainable economies that benefit societies and humanity at large,” she added.
Through the years, Fernandez said the role of men and women in the world has evolved immensely.
“We can say, that women are the largest untapped reservoir of talent in the world. Women for centuries have been stereotyped and traditionally confined to the home, to take care of the children and do household chores. They have struggled for equality and against oppression for centuries,” she said.
In the past few decades, some battles have been partly won yet violence and discrimination are still prevalent in many areas of the world, she acknowledged.
In her locality, Fernandez said they have created Balay Kasanag, a shelter that stands as a halfway home for women who are abused.
But despite several innovations and programs, Fernandez believed that it is still a long way to go to fully empower women in a patriarchal society.
“Abuses still happen. That’s why, there must be continuous advocacy to educate and strengthen the mental, spiritual, and emotional state of our women,” she said.
Most are weakened because they have no economic strength and capabilities to support their families, Fernandez added.
“So, education is our main intervention and so is counseling,” she added.
Shattering that high and hard glass ceiling is not an easy feat for us women, who were seen as homemakers for the longest time, but it can be done.
