PATAS NA OPORTUNIDAD PARA SA MGA KABABAIHAN SA AGRIKULTURA PANAWAGAN SA WOMEN’S MONTH

NANAWAGAN  si Senator Loren Legarda na magkaroon ng patas na oportunidad para sa mga kababaihan sa sektor ng agrikultura na kadalasan ay pinangingibabawan ng mga kalalakihan dahil umano sa hindi matatawarang kontribusyon ng mga ito sa paglaban sa kagutuman at malnutrition sa bansa.

Sa kanyang inspirational message sa kick-off ceremony ng National Women’s Month Celebration sa DAR Compound sa Quezon City bilang panauhing pandangal ng Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) ng Lunes, sinabi ni Legarda na ayon sa pag -aaral ng Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) 26 porsiyento lamang ng mga kababaihan ang kasalukuyang naghahanapbuhay sa sektor ng agrikultura sa bansa.

“I wish to acknowledge the Presidential Agrarian Reform Council for flagging this gender issue several years back, using the lens of their own composition, with a ratio of 21 men for every one woman in the national and provincial committees and 5 men for every woman at the Barangay level. As of 2019, only 28% of all agrarian reform awardees were women. We cannot and must not only wait every March to address these,”sabi ni Legarda.

Giit nito na magkaroon ng “equal access”sa mga tools at oportunidad para sa mga kababaihan sa sektor ng agrikultura tulad ng kalalakihan.

“The Philippines, as an agricultural country traditionally dominated by men, should acknowledge the strength, perseverance, and aspirations of countless women who contribute to our agricultural landscape. They are burdened with unpaid home duties like the preparation of the food of all the farmworkers. They are also relegated to the lower paying work within the sector and not normally considered in the higher paying work such as plowing, land preparation and use of farm equipment. The very design of farm equipment would need to be gender friendly,”sabi ni Legarda.

“Women are key players in our fight against hunger and malnutrition, yet they face systemic barriers that limit their potential. Despite their significant participation in the agricultural sector, women are often marginalized, with limited access to resources, education, and decision-making opportunities. We must address these disparities, recognizing women’s unpaid and undervalued contributions in agriculture and ensuring they have equal access to the tools and economic opportunities they need to thrive. Overcoming women’s marginalization and giving them financial independence are imperatives for the entire sector the thrive….. I will continue to advocate and empower women in agriculture, in the economy, and all areas of life by recognizing their strengths, addressing their challenges, and providing them with the opportunities they deserve, creating a more resilient, inclusive, and equitable Philippines,”dagdag pa ni Legarda.

Bagama’t aniya itinuturing ang Pilipinas sa isa sa aktibo at masigasig sa adbokasiya ng gender equality sa Southeast Asia, subalit bumaba ang rango nito ng walong notch mula sa 2018 sa ranking na ika 16th mula sa 146 ba bansa sa 2023’s Gender Gap index.

“We must recognize women’s unpaid and undervalued contributions in the agriculture and agrarian reform sectors. To thrive, they should have equal access to the tools and economic opportunities. Overcoming women’s marginalization and giving them financial independence is imperative for the entire agricultural sector to thrive. Even with all these laws in place, it is crucial to keep a tight watch and have an oversight on its implementation. To acknowledge the evolving needs of women in a globalized world. To remain committed to enhancing our policies towards gender equality,” sabi ni Legarda.

“Hindi nakatali ang karapatan ng kababaihan sa kalalakihan sa ilalim ng pagpapatupad ng repormang agraryo,” ito naman ang nilaman ng mensahe ni Agrarian Reform Undersecretary Luis Meinrado Pangulayan sa naturang selebrasyon.

Si Legarda, na may akda ng Magna Carta for micro small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), ay nagsuhestyon na ang mga magsasaka lalo na ang kababaihan ay samantalahin ang paggamit ng batas na ito upang iangat ang kanilang kabuhayan.

“Avail of this law to improve their living. The MSMEs help rural entrepreneurs with their agricultural ventures through various assistance from government agencies….The Magna Carta for micro small and medium-sized enterprises is where the ARBs and agrarian communities can benefit from. So that MSMEs which are the backbone of our economy can be provided the financial capacity, the training, capacity-building, the capital assistance, equipment, tools, and marketing for the women micro-entrepreneurs in ARCs,” giit ni Legarda.

Ayon Kay Pagulayan, sa selection process ng agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs), tinitiyak ng DAR ang patas na oportunidad na ibinibigay sa kababaihan.

Paliwanag ni Pagulayan ang mandato ng DAR ay nakakabit sa social justice. “Sa bawat aspeto sa pagpapatupad ng programang ito, sa field operations at support services, nandoon ang maliwanag na pagpapahalaga sa pagiging patas sa kababaihan at kalalakihan,” sabi ni Pagulayan.

Sinabi naman ni Undersecretary for Support Services Rowena Niña O. Taduran, na Chairperson din ng Gender and Development National Steering Committee ng DAR na ang selebrasyon ng Women’s Month sa taong ito na may temang“Lipunang Patas sa Bagong Pilipinas: Kakayahan ng Kababaihan, Patutunayan!,” ay isang paraan umano ng pagbibigay pugay sa lahat ng kababaihang magsasaka.”This is way of paying tribute to all women farmers and leaders who passionately lead and continue to advance women’s advocacies,”sabi ni Taduran.

Ang DAR ay naghanda ng iba ibang aktibidad para sa buong buwan na selebrasyon ng Women’s Month kabilang na ang fora sa gender sensitivity, health and wellness activities, a food festival, bloodletting, bazaar at film showings tungkol sa kababaihan.

Ang Women’s Month ay isang global event upang ipagbunyi ang the social, economic, cultural, at political achievements ng kababaihan kabilang ang mga panawagan sa women’s equality.Ma. Luisa Macabuhay-Garcia