“It is Sara Duterte, not women in general, who should not be President” – fishers’ group

“It is Sara Duterte, not women in general, who should not be President” – fishers’ group

Quezon City, Philippines – The woman who is not fit and should not be the next president is the presidential daughter and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte Duterte herself, according to the militant fishers’ group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA) on Monday, reacting to President Rodrigo Duterte’s recent “misogynistic” remark, saying women are not fit for presidency.

“If President Duterte was solely referring to her daughter as not capable to lead the country, then we couldn’t agree more. Anyone who is competent and has a strong political will to assert the national and democratic interest of the Filipino people can be a president, regardless of the gender,” Fernando Hicap, PAMALAKAYA National Chairperson said in a statement.

PAMALAKAYA said it will not support the candidacy of Mayor Duterte if she runs in the 2022 Presidential elections.

“Basically, we don’t want another President who will only continue the incumbent’s anti-people policies, and most especially, its tyrannical rule. We’ve had enough of the Duterte policies that starve and kill people,” Hicap, former Anakpawis Party-list Representative added.

The fishers’ group also argued that women in grassroots sectors, especially in the fisherfolk, play a significant role in the fisheries production and community struggles.

“But while women play a key role in the fishing production, particularly pre-harvest and post-harvest, their role is undervalued as it is only viewed as an extension of their household production and domestic chores. They do not receive any program that will support and recognize them,” Myrna Candinato, PAMALAKAYA leader based in Cavite said.

PAMALAKAYA said that exploitation and oppression of women in fisheries sector is a “twofold blow”.

“We live in a patriarchal society which blatantly discriminates women, and is being enabled by no less than the misogynistic President himself; and anti-people policies that submerge the women in fisheries into deep poverty,” the fisherwoman leader ended. ###

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