By Anjon Galauran
The annual worldwide campaign promoting women’s rights will kick off its 3rd consecutive year in the country with the theme “One Billion Rising (OBR) for Revolution”. Philippines’ lead convenors Gabriela Women’s Party and the New Voice Company announced that the opening program in the Philippines will be held on February 11 at the Bonifacio Monument in Caloocan, while the main program on February 14 will be held at the Bonifacio Shrine in Manila. In line with the theme “revolution,” the two programs’ venues are locations of monuments of Andres Bonifacio, the heroic leader who led the 1896 Philippine revolution against 300 years of Spanish colonialism.
The campaign will be participated by over 200 countries worldwide.
Famous for its flash mob, this year’s OBR participants will showcase a new dance routine. Participants will also dance to the tune of a new song, dubbed “Bangon sa Rebolusyon.”
Simultaneous “risings” will also be held across the country. Last year’s data estimates approximately 200 risings recorded across the nation.
Rising for Revolution
Lean Flores of Gabriela-Metro Manila said that the theme “revolution” will be interpreted in the Philippines as a plight for social change.
“Ang gusto nating sistema ng lipunan, maglilingkod sa kababaihan at mamamayan na kakalinga sa karapatan ng mga babae, at mga bata, sa pangangailngan mismo ng mamamayan [We want a society that will serve the women and the people, one that will safeguard women and children’s rights, a state that will provide for the needs of its citizens],” Flores explained.
During the first two years, the program addressed violence against women and called for justice for victims of violence. This year, the theme revolution will address three prominent issues in the country – violence, poverty, and impunity.
The latest data by the Philippine Commission on Women via a 2008 study of the National Statistics Office shows that one in five women ages 15-49 have experienced physical violence. Meanwhile, latest data from the Philippine National Police – Women and Children Protection Center (WCPC) shows that there are 23,865 cases of violence against women in 2013 alone.
The program this year aims to address violence beyond the physical abuses against women, extending the call against “state-instigated” violence.
“Violence sa pag-deprive ng social services. Yung pondo na dapat ibinibigay sa mga kababaihan at mamamayan, ginagamit for corruption [There is violence in depriving women of social services. The funds that should be allotted for women and the citizens are used for corruption.],” Flores said.
This year’s OBR aims to denounce “worsening poverty” in the country. Flores added women paticularly suffer from insufficient salary and lack of job opportunities.
“Marami ka paring makikita na cases sa trabaho na unequal yung sahod nila compared sa mga lalaki [There are still several cases where women’s salary are unequal to men],” Flores added.
Flores added that the workplace is one place where abuses against women are prevalent.
The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women’s data shows that across Asia, in the countries Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines and South Korea, 30 to 40% of women suffer sexual harassment in the workplace.
Continuing struggle
Beyond a mere program forwarding present issues of women, One Billion Rising aims to unite the struggles of our heroes to the modern day.
“Ang gusto natin ipakita sa OBR Philippines na tuloy-tuloy lang yung rebolusyon na iniwan nina Gabriela Silang, Ka Oryang, Lorena Barros [What we want to show in OBR Philippines is that the revolution of Gabriela Silang, Ka Oryang, and Lorena Barros continues].”
