More electoral seats for women eyed for Lakas NUCD

Former House Speaker Jose de Venecia said yesteday he will propose to the ruling Lakas NUCD-UMDP party the allocation of at least 30 percent of its 17,500 candidates nationwide to women" in succeeding national and local elections.

On the eve of International Women‘s Day, the Lakas national chairman said Christian Democrats in Germany intend to allocate 30 percent of their electoral seats to women.

De Venecia said increasing the ratio for women will honor Filipinas who occupy more than 50 percent of the national population of 76 million as well as give recognition to two Philippine women presidents – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Corazon Aquino.

Mrs. Arroyo is the second woman president to ascend to Malacañang in 15 years after Mrs. Aquino in 1986. Both came to power behind similar People Power movements, the first in 1986 that toppled a 20-year dictatorship and the second last January that ended what was widely perceived to be a corrupt and immoral leadership.

De Venecia said at present, a little over ten percent of the nation’s candidates are women.

If approved by the party, De Venecia’s proposal will give boost to women political leaders in the elections in May 2004 when a new Philippine president will be elected.

"Increasing the allocation for women candidates will give Filipinas a stronger voice not just in Lakas NUCD but in national affairs where they have shown excellent and effective leadership," De Venecia argued.

He said women who work effectively behind the scenes as organizers and business leaders can be effective leaders in government.

De Venecia said more Filipino women have acquired political savvy since 1986 as evidenced by their increasing number in Congress and in the Cabinet and their expanding roles in national affairs.

Two prominent Filipinas – economist Solita Monsod and former Bureau of Internal Revenue Commissioner Liwayway Chato – are in the 13-man senatorial slate of the People Power Coalition in the May 14 elections.

De Venecia has been pushing for political and electoral reforms, including his much-applauded "anti-turncoatism, anti-balimbing" initiative under the "Contract with Lakas NUCD and Covenant with the Filipino People" which mandates a mayor, congressman, or governor to vacate his seat if he defects to another political party.