LAGAWE, IFUGAO – – The obscure and underdeveloped upland farming town of Mayoyao having been neglected by the provincial government has left its folks reeling from various difficulties. But the initiatives of Mayor Jimmy Padchanan Jr. and the strong support of women officials in the municipal and barangay levels bring a glimmer of hope of a better future.
The traditional male dominated politics regarded women empowerment as a threat such that the male politicians discouraged women from getting involved in politics.
However, Board Member Perfecta Dulnuan has brought her advocacy for women empowerment in politics to Mayoyao. Seeing it as the key to democratic governance, she spread the message to the town’s 27 villages.
Dulnuan’s stop in Mayoyao for the town’s Lady Local Legislators League or 4L Assembly starts a tour across Ifugao to boost the province’s reputation as a proponent of gender equality.
“We are continuously working towards finding end-to-end solutions to problems faced by lady legislators at the provincial, municipal and barangay governments.” Dulnuan said.
Dulnuan chairs the committee on women, children and family.
Because of the COVID-19 outbreak, Dulnuan deviated from the 4L general assembly held in 2019 at Banaue and held assemblies in each town instead. Other assemblies are scheduled in Aguinaldo, Alfonso Lista, Asipulo, Banaue, Hungduan, Kiangan, Lagawe, Lamut and Tinoc. For still unexplained reasons, no assembly has been set in Hingyon.
Led by Councilors Myra Faith Lumayna, Marie Cris Nagchepan and Joan Sheelah Nalliw, women public officials have steadily played a prominent role in Mayoyao’s growth and development. They pushed and helped guide the direction of its economy. Curiously, the assembly’s program made no mention of the name of Nalliw. Nalliw, also a lawyer, is the indigenous people’s mandatory representative at the Sanggunian Bayan. She gained prominence by running as an independent senatorial bet in 2019. She topped the race in Ifugao, even outpolling Sen. Cynthia Villar.
Lumayna is the chairperson of the committee on health and sanitation. Nagchepan and Nalliw chaired the committees on education, science and technology, and indigenous peoples respectively. .
Observers note that their stellar role will probably continue to encourage and motivate others to do the same. Have Ifugao voters significantly moved forward? Some say that uneducated folks failed to take advantage of putting into office educated and competent women candidates to help deal with societal ills.
Mayor Padchanan has worked vigorously for the materialization of programs and projects geared for the improvement of conditions of women.
Board Member Dulnuan is an inspiration to women with political aspirations. Is Ifugao ready to have a woman to take the job of a governor or congressman? That goal is still a distant dream if voters cling to an outdated and backward mindset that a woman should just stay in the kitchen. Ifugao folks should finally realize that there’s no more time to lose since the gender power gap hinders progress. Advocacy campaign in the private sector can help elevate women to positions where they deserve to be.
Many never imagined that the 4L undertaking could be one key to inching closer to a brighter and more prosperous future for the country.
The assembly sought to equip members with the necessary tools and skills to achieve excellence thus helping their governments evolve and be “prime movers” in their localities.
For now, sending the message to genuinely empower women legislators across a bigger audience is a big challenge to Board Member Dulnuan. It sure is a formidable challenge but not insurmountable. Together with Board Member Aezel Dumangeng- the Sanggunian Kabataan federation president– overcoming this is not a pipe dream, but a reality. Key enablers like them should continue to focus on guiding others in Ifugao and make meaningful impact in advancing the cause of gender equality.** By Anthony A. Araos
