The strength of soft power
In precolonial Philippines, the male datu served as the secular head of the community, but the female babaylan was revered as its spiritual leader. Their roles were interdependent and complementary: the datu governed through political authority and military might, while the babaylan’s power stemmed from her access to the divine and gift for healing. This dual-gender system was said to have created a holistic approach to community decision-making and well-being, ensuring that an assertive leadership style is always tempered by nurturing wisdom.
In a recent leadership training for newly elected and first-term female local officials by the Philippine Commission on Women and UN Women, PCW chair Ermelita Valdeavilla shared how we lost this equitable approach to governance when Spanish colonizers demonized the babaylans to subjugate the Filipino people. The rebranding of feminine strength as weak and inferior has led to the rise of modern institutions that privilege the male perspective.
Government services cannot be neutral; they have to be gender-responsive. Valdeavilla emphasized the need for strategic feminist leadership—a shared commitment from both male and female leaders to proactively “remove factors that sustain unequal gender relations.” This means going beyond abolishing discriminatory practices and enacting new ordinances that address the distinct challenges that women face. One priority area is establishing local policies that support a more equitable care economy. In the Philippines, unpaid care work like household maintenance, childcare, and elderly or sick/disabled care, is disproportionately shouldered by women and girls. They dedicate an average of 11 hours per day to these tasks, four times more than men, revealing how gendered expectations continue to shape Filipino life.
Acknowledge that barriers still exist so they can be addressed. In her research, political scientist Farida Jalalzai found that globally, women are more likely to serve as prime ministers than as presidents, because very few female public officials can overcome the sexism and stereotypes that hinder them from winning the national vote in a presidential system. As a country that has had two female presidents, it is easy to believe that the Philippines must be an exception. However, our small victories should not lead to complacency.
As Dr. Melanie Reyes, executive director of the Miriam College Women and Gender Institute, reminded the training participants, Filipino women continue to face systemic barriers to pursuing public office. This includes the lack of access to campaign funding and financial networks, limited mentorship opportunities, as well as the persistent threat of violence, Red-tagging, harassment, and character attacks. She also pointed out that some women are being conveniently used by political dynasties as “proxies” to maintain the status quo rather than to improve the system. Reyes emphasized that true progress cannot be measured merely by the number of women occupying seats in government, but by how effectively they use their positions to create transformative change.
Those in power must use their position to challenge outdated norms and stereotypes. In a panel discussion, Romblon Gov. Trina Firmalo-Fabic and Santiago Mayor Sheena Pua Tan shared that gender-based discrimination does not disappear once a woman is elected into office, so women leaders must be prepared, secure, and strategic. Firmalo-Fabic noted that resistance is inevitable, but can be addressed through patience, evidence, and collaboration. “You have to explain why the reforms are needed, show that there are results and that something good will come out of it,” she said. “Try your best to get them on board, but if it gets difficult, find out who from your team can help out.” Tan emphasized the importance of consistency to maintaining credibility as a leader, and the best way to institutionalize gender-responsive reforms is through executive orders and ordinances. “It is difficult to be consistent all the time, but we just make it harder for our human frailties to transcend our work,” she shared.
UN Women Philippines coordinator Rosalyn Mesina pointed out that leadership in both government and the private sector has been largely shaped by a “compadre culture, where men work together to protect and advance each other’s interests.” This also fuels a women-against-women dynamic, as some feel compelled to mimic patriarchal behaviors to survive within male-dominated systems. Mesina hopes that building solidarity among female local leaders will create networks of mutual support and help open doors for more women to enter public service.
Valdeavilla reminded the newly elected female officials that they have the DNA of ancient babaylans, and that they come from a “lineage of top-notch humanist leaders” who used their position to nurture communities and uplift others. It is time for more Filipino women to embrace and reclaim that power.
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eleanor@shetalksasia.com
