Manay Gina’s ‘Inang Mahal’

Staying on the sidelines for four years after she finished her two terms as Representative of the 4th district of Pangasinan in the 15th and 16th Congress, Gina de Venecia is back in the political arena – under a new initiative – the Inang Mahal Party-list. 

So, why is she running again?

The erstwhile representative explains: “In Congress, I learned the importance of institutionalizing social programs, to ensure that they will be implemented even with changes in government leadership. My former work as a member of Congress also made me realize that the pieces of legislation we passed are improving the lives of millions of people instead of mere hundreds. So, in order to make meaningful reforms in the lives of more women and girls, mothers like me, need an active voice in Congress to push for our causes.

“In my personal experience, I saw that compassion, hard work and sincerity are all good but they’re not enough. In order to perpetuate excellent services that really work, we need to institutionalize our programs. And we need the power of legislation, to do that.”

To her credit,  Manay  Gina founded four national institutions. She established The Haven for Women, a 16-building hospital in Alabang for abused women, women victims of armed conflict, victims of rape, and incest (The  Haven  has 15 regional centers nationwide);  the INA Healing Center in Batasan Hills, Quezon City that helps orphaned mothers; the Haven for Children in Muntinlupa City and its four  regional centers that help street children; and The Haven for the Elderly in Tanay, Rizal that helps abandoned  senior citizens.  

Those institutions were built when she was president of the Association of Women Legislators during her congressional terms. These were realizations of her desire to do meaningful projects when she was chair of the Congressional Spouses Foundation Inc. when her husband, Joe de Venecia, was Speaker of the House.

A tragedy befell her family when KC, Joe and Gina’s daughter, perished in a fire that razed their residence in Makati. The bereaved Gina realized that there were many women who also lost children; this led to her organizing Inang Naulila sa Anak Foundation in 2005, to help console and lift the spirits of grieving mothers.

But those projects are not enough, Gina says.

Continuing, she explains, “Aside from economic problems, many mothers in our country also get married at a very young age.”

This is confirmed by the Young Adult Fertility and Sexuality Study conducted by the University of the Philippines Population Institute and Demographic Research Development Foundation that revealed, ‘one in every 10 Filipina teen, aged 15 to 19 years old, is already a mother.’

“The scenario is all too familiar. After giving birth, these young mothers sacrifice their dream of having a promising career to take care of their family.

“The mother works full time, 24-7, caring for her husband and kids. And should there be a shortage in the family’s budget, it’s still the mother who would try to augment the family income by using her free time to make money as a lavandera, manicurist, banana cue or fish  vendor.

 “And when her children have all grown up. What’s left of the mother? She can no longer be gainfully employed because of old age. Some of them are very insecure already because their beauty has faded and they have no money.

 “Yet again, when their children get married, the mothers are, as usual, tasked to take care of the apos. And the cycle as caregivers goes on, until the mothers’ final years. Wala na. Hindi na nahinto sa kata-trabaho si Nanay.

“Sadly, after working non-stop for years, the mothers do not receive any compensation. Puro T.Y. lang serbisyo nating mga mommies – no health benefits, no SSS, nothing. That’s why it came as no surprise that, in some provinces, I meet mothers, already in their senior years, who are still working as housemaids in order to survive.”

These realities compelled the 69-year-old Manay Gina to organize a national political movement called Inang Mahal that will become the voice of all the mothers in the Philippines. It will work for the welfare and for the protection of mothers in all sectors of society.   

Moreover, this party-list hopes to empower women and mothers in their critical role in shaping the consciousness of nation building.

“As mothers, we have shaped our world,” she says.  “And for every decent employee, community worker, doctor, caregiver, among others, there is a loving mother. 

“I believe it’s about time that we reclaim our right to help create a productive and peaceful society by undertaking programs that will encourage, preserve and promote family cohesion, social responsibility, community consciousness and self-reliance, with the end in view of enhancing the well-being of women, mothers and their families.”

One can vote Gina to the 17th Congress by shading #69 Inang Mahal.

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