kababaihan-at-kapayapaan-issue-3

The Upi Women’s Federation, Inc. (UWFI)Upi is a first-class municipality in the southwestern uplands of Maguindanao,with a population of nearly 45,500 (2010: National Statistics Office) in 23barangays. Sixty percent of the population belong to the indigenous Teduraytribe, and the remaining 40% are Moro (Maguindanao and Maranao) with a mixof Christian.Upi has scored remarkably in good governance (e.g., stopping a politicaldynasty in its tracks and preserving harmony in a predominantly IP andMuslim population) garnering numerous awards (e.g., Galing Pook) in theprocess. But it is gender and its impact on good governance that shall behighlighted here.The GAD Fund was harnessed for women’s empowerment in Upi municipalityyears before the National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security wasformulated. In 2004 the Upi Women’s Federation, Inc. (UWFI) was formed “toempower women,” according to Amelita Arancillo Piang, retired teacher andUWFI founder. She is also wife to incumbent mayor Cesar Piang who firmlysupports women’s equality and empowerment.Women’s organizing started in earnest in 2006 with GAD presidents (also calledGAD focal point officers) chosen at the barangay level to help ensure that the5% GAD Fund is accessed not only at the municipal but also at the barangaylevel. In 2014 Upi had a GAD Fund of P2.61 million. According to Judith Anam,Bgy. Blensong Councilor, the barangay’s 2015 GAD Fund (with 500 GADmembers) stands at P123,726.UWFI activities have included credit and livelihood training, e-learning, andadvocacy on trafficking and violence against women and children (VAWC) aspart of NAP. Livelihood training includes handicrafts, food processing, rubberplanting, upland rice (organic) farming, and dairy projects. In 2011 200 UWFImembers went on a Lakbay Aral (study tour) to the University of SouthernMindanao for lecture-demonstrations in backyard gardening and duck-andgoatraising.The workshop-seminar on VAWC had both the barangay GAD president andthe barangay chair (usually male) in attendance.Remarkable as these efforts are, even more so is how UWFI women areredefining basic notions of beauty, for one. Women’s Month 2011 was markedwith a “Bigatin na Mom” contest (literally, heavyweight mom) with a minimumweight requirement of 70 kilos for contestants; two years later the searchwas for a “Hot Sexy Mom” with minimum age requirement of 45, effectivelychallenging definitions of beauty according to age and looks and affirming that“big is beautiful” and “senior is sexy”.The clear impact of gender on governance in Upi is reflected in other ways.First, half of the municipal council is female, and a fourth (six out of 23) ofbarangay captains are women. Second, a non-confrontational approach todomestic violence cases has saved a marriage relationship in at least eightcases. The barangay captain and women’s committee chair handle thecounseling and the offending husband is probed as to why he turned violent.Cases rarely reach the police blotter. At the same time there is greaterawareness of the reality of domestic abuse.Nearby is the modest LumpinganCenter which prefigures what theWomen’s Center can be. Lumpinganis Maguindanao for sanctuary,haven, and the center is a One-ShopResource Center with weekly servicesfrom Technical Education SkillsDevelopment Authority, the OverseasWorkers Welfare Authority or OWWAand Philippine Overseas EmploymentAuthority, the Department ofEducation and the Department ofLabor and Employment.The road out of MamasapanoWomen barangay officials in Upiredefining beauty and politics.Bangsamoro women drawing life andlivelihood from the Liguasan Marsh.Radjah Buayan women unlockingtheir dormant potential. “First Ladies”harnessing their power to turnkinship from curse to blessing. Theseare indicators that in Maguindanao,gender is impacting governance in adifferent way with NAP as key.Public service not as plunder, profitor rapacity. An end to politicaldynasties as siphons of governmentresources and purveyors of violenceand criminality. Governance as caring,enabling, providing decent jobs andbuilding democratic institutions.Politics and public spaces as a publictrust, a safe space, a haven: Lumpingan.Gender and good governance isnot a pipe dream, it is taking rootin parts of Maguindanao in themost impoverished places, amonga people bludgeoned by conflict.Upi, Paglat, Buluan, the women ofLiguasan Marsh, Radjah Buayan—areshowing that there is a way out ofMamasapano, a way that must takefull account of women and make theirnumbers count. Other paths havebeen a dead-end. It’s the women’sturn now.26 KABABAIHANatKAPAYAPAAN March 2015