CEBU CITY, March 10 -– More and more women are involved in Cebu politics, with 11 women mayors out of 50 municipalities and component cities throughout the province.
”It’s a general knowledge that there are more and more women in politics nowadays,” said Pinamungajan Mayor Geraldine Yapha.
Pinamungajan is flanked by a city and another municipality, both also being run by women mayors.
These are Toledo City run by mayor Arlene Zambo and Aloguinsan town run by Mayor Cynthia Moreno.
Apart from Dr. Yapha, Zambo and Moreno, the women in power in Cebu’s local governments include San Fernando Mayor Lakambini Reluya, Malabuyoc Mayor Daisy Creus, Badian Mayor Carmencita Lumain, Moalboal Mayor Yvonne Cabaron, Mayor Jennifer Ilustrisimo of Santa Fe, Mayor Geralyn Escario-Canares of Bantayan, Mayor Estrella Aribal of Cartmon and Mayor Sonia Pua of Carmen.
The Cebu Provincial Board (PB) has five women members, out of a total of 16. They are PB Members Agnes Magpale, Rosemarie Durano, Victoria Corominas, Teresita Celis as Association of Barangay Councils president and Bhea Mercedes Calderon as president of the Sangguniang Kabataan.
Magpale chairs the committee on women and children.
She and Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, Cebu’s first ever lady governor, chair the Provincial Women’s Council that initiated the provincial women’s code.
”When you really think about it, gender doesn’t matter in political decisions because you make a decision based on what you stand for,” Mayor Yapha explained. There are four women in her town’s council, which has 10 seats.
In Cebu City’s north district, two women are contesting the congressional seat in the May 10 elections.
They are Lahug Barangay Captain Mary Ann delos Santos and Rachel “Cutie” del Mar, daughter of incumbent Rep. Raul del Mar.
Opportunities for women do exist, but there remains the belief that women should take care of the home and leave politics and government service to the men, said de los Santos.
”There are not enough women yet to compete with the men. It is still a male-dominated government. At least, equal opportunities are provided,” she said.
Her opponent agreed there are “definitely not enough” women in government now, although there are no more obstacles for them in competing with men for government posts.
She said only 20 percent in the House of Representatives and in the Senate are women.
”But the important thing is the recognition that more are as capable as the men, that it is more a question of qualifications rather than gender,” del Mar said.
She is currently chief of staff of her father, third- term Rep. Raul del Mar. (PNA)
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