We need more women in the legislature

Sarah Duterte, Imee Marcos, Kris Aquino, Mocha Uson, Agot Isidro, Cynthia Villar, Nancy Binay, Pia Cayetano, in addition to Senators Riza Hontiveros, Leila de Lima, and Grace Poe, what a Senate.

I don’t mind Mayor Sarah Duterte being elected to the Senate. She is a lawyer and a tried and tested public servant. She is independent minded, she does not necessarily follow her father. But definitely not Mocha or Agot. Perhaps what this nation needs today are women leading the Senate, the House and many agencies. Women are more focused, thorough, conscientious, and hardworking. No offense to men but even in the Bar, most topnotchers for the past 20 years were female. Men seem to be the endangered species.

Next year’s senatorial derby will see more women. If women like Sarah Duterte and Imee Marcos join Cynthia Villar, Nancy Binay, PAO Chief Persida Acosta, and Ma Lourdes Sereno, the campaign and polls shall be more exciting. I hope Gina Lopez and Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach shall join the fray too, they shall bring more grit and grace to the Upper House. They will most probably win and join Poe, Hontiveros, de Lima, Loren Legarda who is resting for at least three years, and Pia Cayetano is coming back.

The first Filipina senator was educator Geronima Pecson, followed by Maria Kalaw Katigbak, Eva Estrada Kalaw, Pacita Madrigal Gonzales, Tecla San Andres Ziga (the first Filipina to top the Bar), Magnolia Antonino, Helena Benitez, Santanina Rasul, Letecia Ramos-Shahani, Miriam Defensor-Santiago, Luisa “Loi” Estrada, and Imelda Marcos. Women have better performance than men because they can easily make the men support their advocacies, and are more persuasive, persistent, and charming.

If Sarah Duterte runs, she will most probably be among the top three, especially with Marcos support, and Mindanao solidly behind her. She is a fearless lawyer, good-looking, and has a lot of brains. She has more legislative competence than Imee, but the governor of Ilocos Norte is more articulate, a more experienced campaigner, and may have more money. Villar is the richest senator and is a no-nonsense legislator with advocacies on agriculture, livelihood for women, and trade. Perhaps she performed better than her husband.

I heard LP President Kiko Pangilinan say his party is inviting non-politicians to join them and put up a strong senatorial line-up to challenge the administration. Kiko talked of inviting Agot to run. Why not Korina Sanchez or Kris Aquino? Whatever it is, I feel that women are better legislators. They work harder, look at details, and are always anticipating what could go wrong. I believe we should elect more women in the House and the Senate.

Let the women work and we men enjoy and relax a bit. We will have a better nation.