09/04/2025
No Room for Misogynist in the Public Office!
SO sad that we ONLY SEE this as JOKES and that if you react you are "maarte" or so "sensitive.
Gender Equality and Ending Violence Against Women are still on-going advocacies and we still has a long FIGHT!
No to Gender-Based Violence
No to Misogyny!
No to Sexist Behavior in public office!
𝗡𝗼 𝗥𝗼𝗼𝗺 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗠𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗴𝘆𝗻𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲
As a lawyer and a citizen of a country whose Constitution enshrines the equal dignity of every human being, I write this with deep disappointment—and growing alarm. The 2025 elections should be a time to elevate national discourse, yet we are once again witnessing a troubling display of sexism, misogyny, and casual violence from those seeking to lead us.
Let me be clear: anyone aspiring for public office who demeans, objectifies, or belittles women has no place in government. Public service demands respect—not only for the law, but for the people the law seeks to protect. And when candidates treat women as punchlines, sexual objects, or lesser beings, they expose not just their character, but their unfitness to lead.
When congressional candidate Christian Sia said he was willing to sleep with single mothers who are “still menstruating,” it was not just a tasteless joke—it was a glaring sign of moral bankruptcy. No amount of campaign charisma can cover up the fact that his words reduced women to their reproductive functions and insulted the dignity of single mothers fighting to survive and raise their children.
When Misamis Oriental Governor Peter Unabia said he wanted to give nursing scholarships to “beautiful women,” he didn’t just insult the nursing profession—he perpetuated the toxic notion that a woman’s worth is measured by her physical appearance. Nurses deserve to be celebrated for their compassion, skill, and sacrifice—not objectified as decorative aides for the male ego.
And when a vice mayor refers to a respected woman as “laos” (a has-been) and implies her supporters belong in the cemetery, it speaks volumes about the immaturity and misogyny that still pervade our politics. It also reveals an even more dangerous truth: that women, especially strong and accomplished women, are still feared by insecure men in power.
This is not just about political correctness—it is about fundamental human decency. Leaders shape culture. When candidates normalize sexism, they invite others to do the same. They embolden the street harasser, the abusive husband, the dismissive employer. They send a message that women can be laughed at, insulted, and cast aside without consequence.
But there must be consequences. Because when leaders fail to respect women, they fail the very essence of leadership itself.
As a lawyer, I join the growing call to ensure that misogyny is not rewarded at the ballot box. If laws must be passed to bar candidates who display discriminatory behavior from running, then let us pass them. But more than the law, this is a matter of conscience. A candidate who cannot respect women cannot respect the people.
The power to change this lies in our hands. Let us demand more from our leaders—not just intelligence or charm, but integrity, empathy, and basic respect. This country deserves better. Our women deserve better.
📸Impact PH
