News

The Maeng Women: A Study in Gender Empowerment

A Maeng woman. (Photo: FPE)

This is the process by which former Mayor Saguiyod-Gattud won the mayorship, the first Maeng woman to be elected to the position. Her political success is one of the prime examples of how women empowerment has grown among the Maengs.

Stepping away from passivity

Although the Maeng culture is not discriminatory towards the tribe’s female populace, and has in fact held them and their opinions in high regard (especially when it comes to domestic issues and matters concerning discipline), Maeng women have not always been politically active. The Maeng culture, like the cultures of other indigenous groups, is one of patriarchal dominance of familial roles in this country. Thus, generally, women do not speak during formal meetings, says Saguiyod-Gattud. However, in her community, women speak and are listened to.

Since the emergence of the authority of the National Federation of Women’s Club (NFWC) in Abra, and before Mayor Saguiyod-Gattud’s term, the Maengs of Tubo have seen significant advances in women’s political participation.

As an example, NFWC passed an ordinance that set a limit to the sale of liquor in the municipality, because a lot of men were getting drunk and causing disturbances at night. The club decided that no alcohol would be sold by 6PM and that everyone had to be indoors by 9PM. In each barangay there were Women’s Club members who served as watchers to ensure the implementation of the ban.

The Maeng womenfolk have been encouraged to be more vocal and be more assertive when it comes to communal concerns and governance.

“Our women are more empowered now. They have become more active and they now speak up during meetings,” the former mayor shares. “Men have begun to see that women can also contribute valuable ideas. Before, women were not given a chance to lead, but now our elders have begun to see that women can also take the helm.”

Maeng women optimistic of new challenges. (Photo: FPE-MIPPEG)

Reassurance from good female governance

That the former mayor served a three-year term as vice-mayor in 2001 before moving up to the mayorship validates this notion. Her having been repeatedly reelected as mayor until she reached the maximum number of terms is indicative of the Council of Elders’ – and the tribe’s – satisfaction with her performance, and their collective respect and trust for her ability to lead. This trust and confidence has shown how the tribe has progressed in terms of its attitude toward governance.

But getting there was no walk in the park, the mayor admits. “I had a lot of adversaries and struggles during my time. Finding time for my family became very difficult,” she says. “But I was challenged to do more, and I refused to limit my capabilities.”

Rising female involvement

The election of former Mayor Saguiyod-Gattud is not the only evidence of the shift in gender enablement. The Maeng womenfolk have taken up other leadership roles in the community. There are now female barangay councilors, and women have been given the authority to enforce the observance of certain decrees, such as the prohibition of junk food (to address the community’s high malnutrition rate).

Other important community projects have been coursed through the Maeng women, such as those relating to solid waste management. The Maengs put a premium on the preservation and protection of the environment. The Maeng women have been given the authority to implement the municipality’s solid waste management system, proving once again how the Maengs value women’s role in environmental governance.

Gender, not a condition of good leadership

The merit accorded to the Maeng womenfolk in the socio-political arena has grown considerably over the decade. Tubo’s female leaders have been proving that when it comes to good leadership and effective social involvement, gender is irrelevant. “You need to be aware of your role in the community, of what the problems are and of what you can do to help,” Saguiyod-Gattud asserts. “You also need to have a good relationship with the people, confidence in yourself and guts because you will have many opponents. You need to obtain wisdom from the elders, and to be persistent against those who may question you. And when you say you will do something, you have to do it. When they see how you are able to keep your word, you can prove that women can lead just as well as men.”

Leadership – good leadership –does not discriminate. For the former mayor, the fundamental attributes of a good leader are the same regardless of gender. These are awareness, geniality, self-assurance, guts, wisdom, persistence and conviction. These are the very same attributes to which the Maengs of Tubo give weight in selecting their representatives. Hopefully, for the rest of the indigenous population – and non-indigenous people – as well.

___________

The successful installation of an Indigenous People Mandatory Representation (IPMR) in local governance was made possible by the Mainstreaming Indigenous Peoples’ Participation in Environmental Governance (MIPPEG) project supported by the European Union and implemented by the Foundation for the Philippine Environment and the Philippine Association for Intercultural Development. A Partners Forum was held on November 26, 2014 at the Ang Bahay ng Alumni, UP Diliman sealing commitment of support from various agencies to further the causes for indigenous people’s participation in governance.