Heroes all: women making a difference in government. (Politics).

Early in 1995, Jessie Marie Alos, dared to set foot in the male-dominated political arena of the municipality of Tuba. In a typical community where people believed women were fit only for the home or the farm, where affairs of the State were deemed fit only for men, she would challenge the status quo and emerge the winner.

Jessie Marie Alos was a political neophyte when she ran in 1995.

She won and became the lone woman in Tuba's Municipal Council.

Times have changed since then. Three other women share the limelight with Alos in Tuba's Council, which accounts for 50% of the representation of women.

Tinoc, Ifugao has followed suit, with a council that boasts of 50% men and 50% women. Other provinces are also warming up to the idea of equal representation in government.

However, results from the 2001 local elections reveal a dismal turnout for female representation in local governance.

For example, of the 70 mayors we have in the Cordilleras, only 9% are women, of the 67 vice mayors we have, only 10% are women. We have around 520 councilors all over the region, but only 15% of these (or 95) are women. While the 1998 elections produced one female House Representative (Josephine Dominguez of Mt. Province), the 2001 elections did not even produce a woman from the Cordilleras to represent women in Congress.

A lot of factors have contributed to this: a traditional political system that excludes women and other minorities, traditional and cultural barriers and the general attitude of women themselves.

However disappointing the statistics and the system are, there are a few women who have dared to pierce the formidable walls of the political system and have emerged as victors:Tuba Councilor Jessie Marie Alos, Benguet Vice Governor Edna Tabanda and Atok Mayor Concepcion Balao.

All three came from different backgrounds. Alos, 51, was an AB Literature and Philosophy major from the University of the Philippines Diliman, who had entered politics as a political neophyte in 1995. Tabanda, 57, was a registered nurse, who after graduation worked as a nurse and managed the family business for years before trying her luck in politics in the 1980s. Balao served as Atok's Municipal Secretary for 18 years and another six years as its budget officer. But they all exhibited character traits that would enable them to succeed in politics.

ISSUES

All three agreed that difficulties hounded them from the very beginning of their careers in politics.

Issues such as male-dominated politics, socio-cultural and political stereotypes, traditional and cultural barriers and the general attitude of other people confronted them.

All three would confront a political system where women occupied only 10% of the elected position. They also had to contend with political stereotypes such as politics being only for the men, the belief that they had no political clout and an overall negative attitude towards women joining politics.

"It was hard for me because I (was) all alone... I felt (that) no one (knew) how it (was) to be a woman," Balao recalls.

Alos recalls the same thing. "It was hard... the people did not know me."

However, all three persevered and won the elections. In fact, Alos run and won for three consecutive terms, Balao ran for councilor, won and became a Board Member, then she ran for mayor and won again.

Tabanda, the political veteran of the three, ran in 1980 as a councilor, won, ran as mayor thrice and won, then ran for vice governor and won again.

All three had distinguished themselves not only as outstanding local officials but also as pioneers of transformative politics. Most recall being the only woman in the Council when they first started out.

CHALLENGES

Hurdling the traditional barriers and stereotypes of the political system was only the first step for these women.

They also had to contend with the challenge of proving their worth when they assumed office. This meant proving that they were capable leaders.

For example, being the first woman mayor of La Trinidad meant Tabanda had to be firm about the creation and implementation of programs. For almost a decade and a half, she ruled La Trinidad with what her former employees would call "an iron hand".

"I've displeased many," Tabanda says, reflecting on her three-term stint as mayor of La Trinidad, "I've made decisions which (were) not popular with anybody...the business sector, farmers, relatives, friends..." But always, she says, she would rather make decisions that did not compromise her office, rather than please everybody. Values and principles that emphasized integrity, honesty, hard work and honor have always guided her.

"Uray haan dak kaykayat (I don't care if no-one likes me [for my decisions])," Tabanda said.

Alos, who is perhaps most remembered for the Casino issue that rocked Tuba to its core, is also remembered for being the councilor who stood by her beliefs and fought for the common good at a time when everyone else exhibited a severe case of moral amnesia.

Her courage, persistence and her campaign to make every government act transparent to the community has endeared her to the hearts of many. While she may have lost some important legislation that might have improved the welfare of the community, she remains undisturbed. She continues to formulate well-researched, well-consulted bills for the community.

PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS

Looking back at the kind of programs and projects that Alos, Tabanda and Balao each formulated, one can easily see that the three women possessed natural leadership styles that emphasized cooperative decision-making, consensus-building, openness, trust, transparency, accountability, compassion and shared leadership.

Alos, for example, used the political power she gained to prioritize disadvantaged groups and transform politics in general.

She has addressed not only women's issues (a sector that has been historically disadvantaged and marginalized), but also children's issues and issues that pertained to the general welfare of the community.

She sought the economic, social and political equity for women by pushing for a budget for women's programs. She helped create opportunities for women to come together and discuss issues through a Women's Congress. She raised awareness regarding the Gender and Development (GAD) Budget in Tuba.

When she heard that Tuba had the highest number of child laborers in the province, she worked for the approval of a law that would decrease their numbers.

She also authored ordinances and resolutions on culture, environment, peace and order. She helped increase Tuba's income during her first term of as councilor She fought against the Council's plan to establish a casino in Tuba because the plan had not been consulted with the community members--most of whom opposed it.

The success of her campaigns for the welfare of the people and her commitment to transparency had earned their respect. Thus, when she ran again for a second and a third term, she won.

Tabanda, who once said, "1 never thought I'd be in politics," has also had a notable success in government.

As municipal mayor of La Trinidad for three consecutive terms, La Trinidad blossomed. The municipality increased its revenue collection. Business establishments and banks mushroomed.

Tabanda was not, however, solely interested in income generation. She was also concerned about people's health, the preservation of culture and environmental protection and conservation.

It was Tabanda's administration, for example, which instituted the daring liquor ban in La Trinidad.

The tourist program "La Trinidad: Panaspulan" which featured cultural festivals, agro-industrial trade fairs, sports festivals, horseback tours, music competitions and flower and strawberry festivals drew crowds and instantly put La Trinidad on the tourist map.

Under her leadership, La Trinidad strengthened the institutionalization of its environmental protection and conservation program through the creation of the La Trinidad Multi-Sectoral Environmental Council.

She also prioritized the improvement of health, social and population services--services which were considered women's turf and therefore should not be prioritized.

All these earned her numerous awards, one of the more prestigious being "Mayor of the Year". During her term, La Trinidad experienced an economic boom and was named "The Most Outstanding Municipality."

Balao, who has faced her share of opposition in politics because, she readily admits, she is a woman, has also filed for ordinances and resolutions for the marginalized.

Like Tabanda and Alos, she made sure her fellow Board Members and fellow councilors knew about the GAD budget during her stint as councilor.

She also filed similar ordinances and resolutions on the youth's welfare (the regulation of the sale of rugby, the liquor ban and curfew hours for minors), livelihood programs and environment programs. Today, Mayor Balao is working on infrastructure programs, livelihood programs and training seminars for women.

So what do these women think about their chosen vocation?

Vice Governor Tabanda says that being the head of a legislative body and being the only woman, has not made her feel discriminated, but she believes men, not only in the provincial council but in other institutions, must be more informed about relevant issues. If they are informed, they can be enlightened about issues and change their perspectives about women's issues and other issues. She is pushing for more information education campaigns and gender sensitivity trainings (GST) so that misconceptions about gender and its issues will be removed.

She laments that most of the resolutions being filed in the provincial council cover infrastructure programs. She believes there should be more laws that protect women, children and the family.

On a personal level, she is advancing gender issues in the Council.

"I'm trying to sensitize my co-legislators," she says. "I once invited a board member to a GST. Now he is becoming gender sensitive." In time, gender sentive laws will be passed.

Despite the challenges, Alos perhaps sums up all their feelings neatly in this statement, "It is very fulfilling...More women should run. Who knows? They might make a difference."

LOCAL OFFICIALS BY SEX

                  2001     1998

                 M    F   M    F

Representatives  6    0   6    1
Governors        5    0   6    0
Vice Governors   2    2   5    1
Board Members    30   4   30   2
Mayors           70   7   68   8
Vice Mayors      67   8   70   7
City Councilors  12   0   10   2
Municipal Coun.  508  95  520  88