Mabuhay ang Filipina! Mabuhay ang Kalayaan !
A Celebration of Herstory: Women in Legislation, Women in Politics

(Historical Framework for the Centennial Celebration of Women in Politics and Legislation, Sponsored by Ugnayan ng Kababaihan sa Pulitika, National Centennial Commission - Women Sector and Committee on Women, House of Representatives, June 25, 1998, BayView Hotel, Manila)

Part I: Introduction

In a conference on women’s role in Philippine history last March 1989, feminist historians were excited over discussions on the etymology of the word bayani. They said the word bayani comes from the combination of two words - bayan which means community or village or settlement and babayi woman. This affirms of course the present day notion of usually referring to country in feminine terms - motherland , etc. More significant perhaps is the implication that the notion of woman in the Philippines is also affixed to the concept of nation, of heroism and valor - a revelation which seems to defy the western notion of referring to heroism, patriotism and valor usually in masculine terms.

The historical revelation on the word bayani is supported by a cursory review of the history of the Philippines. From pre-colonial Philippines to the present, women have played an important role in the development of the village and town until the emergence of the Filipino nation . From the pre-hispanic babaylan or katalonan - the chief priestess in the barangay to the women leader and advocate of recent times , history presents a tableau of the Filipinas bravely asserting their inherent rights to participate in the shaping of the community and nation equal to Filipino men.

MUCH, MUCH MORE HERE!

http://www.kababaihan.org/herstory/

Women leaders in the Philippines should be acknowledge !

what a good idea, whoever conceptualized that is indeed worth recognizing, MABUHAY ! :singing:

what do u mean? women are not recognized?

This is just a symposium about the role of Filipina in the history.

GMA is the 4th most powerful woman in the world! I think it's so weird that the US has never had a female ruler.