Commission on Elections Commissioner Rowena Guanzon speaks before media on Friday calling for an investigation of a protocol breach by poll technology provider Smartmatic. The transparency server script was tweaked by Smartmatic to correct a character in the names of candidates with “ñ in them.(MNS photo)
MANILA (PNA) – An official of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has encouraged women to run for office in the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (village and youth council) elections.
Comelec Commissioner Rowena Guanzon said it is high time for women to join the political arena since they have the potential to become good leaders.
“The community is really front-line service. The barangay delivers front-line services, and women can equally do a good job at leadership and delivery of services. Mas industrious pa nga ang mga babae (Women are more industrious) because they are more caring, they are more responsible and less prone to corruption,” Guanzon said.
She cited a report that says women are less prone to corruption because their values system is different.
“Women teach children good examples. Women teach their children to be honest, to be studious, and I think that they carry it over when they become leaders and elected officials,” she pointed out.
The head of the Comelec’s Gender and Development Committee noted that women would be efficient in mediating disputes at the barangay level.
“I think generally women have more empathy and compassion than men. I think generally, some men are exceptional. But generally in fact, men don’t like to show their emotions,” she said, adding that women would “make better if not equally deserving leaders” in the barangay.
Guanzon said they are going around the country, advocating for more women candidates in the barangay and SK elections.
She said they are also convincing governors, mayors, barangay officials, and the community to help level the playing field for women.
Based on data from the Comelec’s Election Records and Statistics Department, of the 45,990 who filed their Certificate of Candidacy (COCs) for the May 9 national and local polls, only 8,873 were female or 19.29 percent.
Only 56 women ran for president, vice president and senators compared to 265 men who ran for the same posts.
There were 18,083 posts available in the last May elections from the president down to the members of city/municipal council.