The tougher sex

Women dominated the headlines this week. Two women members of President Benigno Aquino’s cabinet, plus a Commission on Audit officer, who’d been repeatedly bypassed, were confirmed by the Commission on Appointments (CA). But not before the CA itself was severely trounced   for political partiality.

The three were Justice Secretary Leila De Lima, Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman and Commission on Audit’s Heidi Mendoza. Environment Secretary Ramon Paje also got the CA’s nod, despite Sen. Sergio Osmeña’s no vote.

No member of the CA objected when separate motions were made to endorse the confirmation of COA commissioners Heidi Mendoza and Jose Fabia. Ms. Mendoza’s term will expire on February 2, 2018

That vote reflect reactions from readers our Inquirer column on “Wishbone or Backbone”. Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales didn’t dally for the standing ovation that erupted after she hauled, into the anti-graft court, Senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Bong Revilla and Jinggoy Estrada.  She lodged an urgent petition with the Supreme Court: Please create two special divisions, in the anti-graft court, to conduct, without break, trial of the pork barrel scam.

“Other women who towered include “housewife” Corazon Aquino who sent a dictator packing.

“People Power 1” installed Cory as the 11^th—and first woman—president. She reestablished constitutional government, served with integrity, oversaw peaceful transition of power and returned to her modest Times Street home.

Cecilia Muñoz Palma’s (1913-2006) was the first woman Supreme Court justice. She didn’t buckle when male colleagues surrendered to Marcos the 12^th-century prerogative of courts to rule on habeas corpus pleas. She flayed, the farcical “Citizens Assemblies”.

Presidential Commission on Good Government Haydee Yorac, recovered $683 million from Marcos’ Swiss bank accounts.  Senior vice president of Equitable-PCI Bank Clarissa Ocampo refused to certify a P500-million loan when Pres. Joseph Estrada signed as “Jose Velarde.”

“Women who hew to principles and refuse to be cowed includes today’s Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, Commission on Audit’s Grace Pulido Tan and Heidi Mendoza, Social Welfare Secretary Dinky Soliman and Internal Revenue Commissioner Kim Henares, we wrote before the CA vote... Here are some reader reactions:

“We need more women with integrity and fortitude to balance out the likes of Imelda Marcos and Gloria Macapagal Arroyo,” emailed jgj1019.  “Women of this kind. Priceless really”, said Rational and Objective. Most of these Commission on Appointment members weigh in with their personal grudges rather than looking into the competency of the candidates, commented Ganymede.

“Who in the CA blocked the appointment of Heidi Mendoza, De Lima and Soliman?” asked Phil Cruz. Publish the names of objecting senators and congressmen and how they vote each time. This is getting to be a big joke. These politicians' reasons and logic must be exposed to public scrutiny”.

“Jinggoy Estrada, who else?” replied Engr. Leonor Lagsca from Iloilo.    

Thanks to these bright, courageous and principled women, wrote Virgo Yap. They are not only women with the golden hearts but they are women who will surely bring our country to a very promising future.  Domingo Reyes Jr. chimed in: I salute these women of principles, courage and substance. May their (tribe) grow in the government service.

You are right, Eirons 1043 commented—Conchita Carpio Morales, Leila de Lima , Kim Henares , Heidi Mendoza  Grace Padaca of Comelec and Grace Pulido Tan are excellent female appointees of PNoy. I hope these women wins Senate seats to bring back honor in the Senate. I hope PNoy appoints also Rep. Leni Robredo of Bicol  to complete the cast.

“And for every noble Filipina, you have Gloria,” Spidekick commented. “I just hope there will never be a G L O R I A,” added Eelap 

“I think the reason why our public servants have turned to shenanigans is because they have abandoned poetry and music,” claims Cogito728sum. “All they can think about is pick up the phone and say ‘Hello Garci!’ By how many millions would I win? Or perhaps, ‘Hello Janet, how many millions did you transfer to my bank account today?’”

So the question is not just "to be or not to be" but which would you rather be, the one with millions and millions of dough and headaches or one with just enough to live comfortably by but can sing, recite poetry, and above all at peace with himself? 

“If only our lawmakers have an iota of the character and moral courage of the women mentioned above, things could not have gone that worse in our country today,” said Tunay Ba. “On the contrary, mostly of our men in Congress are the exact opposite. What a shame!”

“Women of this country in contrast to its men have balls,” Buninay1 wrote. “They have huge cojones….This fact should panic the male leaders into shoring up their ranks and into recovering what is left of their share in the hearts and minds of the public.  

Even now, we continue to be bombarded with negative news about male public officials getting involved in misuse of public fund. Perhaps the exclusive boys club of yore got cemented, over the years through god-parenting, blatant cronyism and simple patronage politics. 

These breed a tangled network of dependency has reduced male leadership into a eunuch pretty much deserving only of a slot in an all-boys Venetian choir. Ours is a country bereft of real gentlemen prepared to run and rule it but saved in time no less by blue-blooded amazons who are out to make a difference.