MANILA, Philippines – Hinikayat ni Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. ang mga kababaihan na patuloy na manguna at humingi ng lugar habang ang Pilipinas at ang kapwa Southeast Asian countries ay kumikilos para itulak ang rehiyon ng pasulong.
Sa naging talumpati ng Pangulo sa 4th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Women Leaders’ Summit sa Mandaluyong City, tinukoy nito ang mahalagang papel ng mga kababaihan para palakasin ang mga komunidad at ekonomiya.
Umaasa naman ang Pangulo na ang event, kung saan nagsama-sama ang mga lider, policymakers, civil society organizations, youth leaders, at iba pang stakeholders, ay magsilbing inspirasyon sa mga kabataang babae na itaas ang baitang ng kanilang papel sa lipunan.
“Let this summit be remembered not merely for our hospitality or eloquence, but as a moment that we committed real resources, reformed real policies, and opened the doors for the millions of young women that are watching us today,” ang sinabi ni Pangulong Marcos.
“To our women leaders in governance, civil society, business, and technology: Keep leading, keep demanding space, keep pushing our region forward,” aniya pa rin.
Winika pa ng Pangulo na ang mga babae ay hindi lamang simpleng benepisaryo ng pag-unlad ng bansa kundi mga lider at innovators na humuhubog sa kinabukasan ng Asean.
Gayunman, ang mga ito ay kulang sa representasyon sa Gabinete at parlyamento ng Asian member states.
“This is not simply a gap in representation; it is a gap in leadership in whose voices shape the decisions that affect our region. So we must act with greater purpose by building stronger leadership budgets, advancing measures that open pathways to decision-making, and establishing a regional network that connects, supports, and strengthens women leaders all across Asia,” ang sinabi ni Pangulong Marcos.
Kailangan din na i-transform ng Asean member- nations ang kanilang economic landscape, lalo pa’t mayroong mahigit na 60 million micro, small, and medium enterprises ang pagmamay-ari o pinamamahalaan ng mga kababaihan.
Para sa Pilipinas, sinabi ni Pangulong Marcos na “it is accelerating digital financial inclusion and ensuring market integration explicitly benefiting women-led enterprises.”
“We must also acknowledge a long-overlooked truth: no economy functions without the care economy,” aniya pa rin.
“Unpaid care work falls disproportionately on women, restricting their time and opportunity to lead in the formal workforce, especially in the so-called non-traditional fields. By investing in care infrastructure and redistributing care obligations, we do not just support women, we unlock billions of dollars in economic potential across our region,” anito pa rin.
Idagdag pa na suportado ng Pilipinas ang ibang bansa sa paglaban sa gender-based violence na malaganap ngayon sa online spaces.
“We cannot speak of empowerment while our women and girls face harassment and abuse online. The Philippines stands with Asean in building digital frameworks that keep this frontier a space of opportunity, not of oppression.
Declarations and summits are certainly valuable, but action is our true currency,” ayon sa Pangulo. (KRIS JOSE)
