Jorranne Paraiso
On March 8, 2025, I joined my first public demonstration after more than 10 years since college, an event organized by the GABRIELA Group entitled “LABAN para sa ADYENDA ng Kababaihan, ADYENDA ng Mamamayan,” held at Liwasang Bonifacio, Manila City, in celebration of the International Women’s Day.
350 Pilipinas Staff: Jorranne, Jawo, and Jheny posed for a selfie. The three joined in solidarity amid a heavy rainfall during the International Women’s Day Celebration Mobilization at Liwasang Bonifacio, Manila. Photo: Jheny Dabu
Rain or shine, I have witnessed a number of women-lead activist groups share their experience and advocacies, firmly calling for the public’s support towards gender equity and gender security, particularly in healthcare, fair labor and wages, basic human rights, agriculture, and also highlighting the importance of advancing the divorce bill in the Congress and Senate.
A photo of the protesters during the International Women’s Day Celebration Mobilization in Liwasang Bonifacio, Manila. Photo: Jheny Dabu
These groups are also calling out for the public’s support on equality rights of the members of the LGBTQA+ communities and vulnerable children. We marched from Liwasang Bonifacio to Mendiola, planning to merge together with other organized groups who have gathered in different parts of Manila. However, we abruptly ended at Evangelista Street, near LRT Recto Station, due to the heavy downpour.
According to a report published by the Center for Women’s Resources in 2024 entitled, “Ulat Lila March 2024 – Report on the Situation of Filipino Women”, the Philippines’ labor force as of November 2022 to 2023 is composed of 21.5 million counted women workers (55.4%).
However, despite sharing more than half of the labor force, women are still considered as economically insecure. In reality, women in the Philippines remain vulnerable because our culture is deeply tied with the feudal-patriarchal system, where women are treated as second-class citizens next to the male population and are expected to remain as voiceless and submissive not only in their household but also in the workforce.
I grew up in a family where mothers are the breadwinners of the family, where both of my grandmothers were not able to finish grade school and came from poor families. Yet despite their educational attainment and familial background, they paved their own way to look for opportunities to support our family and provide us a better shot in life. As a young female who has had the privilege of earning a degree and now working professionally, it is rightful to acknowledge and celebrate the sacrifices of the women who have come before me and to take action on behalf of those women who do not have the same privileges as I have. It is an honor to be a part of an organization that acknowledges and celebrates the special roles of women in society.
A group photo of the Tatalon Nanay Power Community, 350 Pilipinas, and Polytechnic University of the Philippines during a community visit.
350 Pilipinas has been in continuous support with women rights and economic opportunities, where we have on-going collaboration with the Tatalon Nanay Power (TNP) in Barangay Tatalon, Quezon City. Together, we navigate community organizing and exploring how women, or Mothers can lead climate solutions. The ongoing partnership aimed to harness the potential of solar-powered energy resources for their community’s day-to-day livelihood sustainability and disaster preparedness.
Our organization and the TNP have drafted a proposal aimed for climate action initiatives in vulnerable communities of Quezon City, such as access to green-sourced energy and other alternatives, which could greatly impact the community’s income generating resources. This example of small-scale initiative equips women with the power and capabilities to demonstrate their knowledge, experience, and decision-making skills as the back-bone of the community in accessing income-generating resources that can effectively improve their livelihoods.
Standing there, surrounded by women demanding gender justice, I felt a renewed sense of purpose. My grandmothers, the women of GABRIELA, and the resilient mothers of Tatalon Nanay Power have reminded me of the strength and resilience of Filipino women. Despite the continuous onslaught of challenges encountered, the collective power demonstrated on that day offers a beacon of hope. It would be a dream where future generations of women will not have to fight the same battles, that they will be born in a society where their rights are inherent, and that their potential is limitless. This International Women’s Month, I am reminded that the fight for equality is not just a march, but a lifelong commitment.
Resources:
Center for Women’s Resources (2024). Ulat Lila March 2024 – Report on the Situation of Filipino Women. Retrieved from https://www.scribd.com/document/775073089/Ulat-Lila-2024-Report-on-the-Situation-of-Filipino-Women
Writer: Jorrane Paraiso | Editor: Nadia Cruz