DAVAO CITY, Philippines -With the start of the 20th Congress this July 28, women groups in Davao appealed to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to proclaim Gabriela Women Party (GWP) as members of Congress following the cancellation of the Duterte Youth Party-list.
The groups, Gabriela Southern Mindanao, Gabriela Youth Davao and the Sabokahan IP (Indigenous Peoples) Women, manifested their position in a letter they forwarded to Comelec Region XI last week.
The group said their appeal underlined the need for GWP to be proclaimed to ensure representation of women, children and LGBTQIA in legislation work as well as continuing community work to serve as a forum to discuss women rights and their agenda.
“For example, for communities that don’t have access to medical services, Gabriela Women’s Party is making efforts to provide free services.” said Rose Hayahay, spokesperson of Gabriela Southern Mnidanao.
Their call is part of a nationwide action among women groups and allies of GWP to have the party-list proclaimed after the Comelec canceled the registration of Duterte Youth Partylist.
Acting on a petition from youth groups, Comelec found out that the controversial party-list failed to complete the necessary accreditation processes way back in 2018. They declared Duterte Youth’s accreditation “void ab initio,” or null from the beginning.
They also noted the Duterte Youth engaged in activities that violate the Constitution, such as red-tagging Gabriela and its allied party-lists under the Makabayan Coalition, where its “systemic calls to action (that) legitimize violence as a means of governance and dissent suppression.”
Groups said that Duterte Youth’s cancellation means party-lists that almost made the two percent margin including Gabriela should be proclaimed to fill up 20% of the allotted seats in Congress.
Gabriela acknowledged that it will take time for the courts to rule for their proclamation, Hayahay said they will continue their campaigns in the grassroots.
“We still want to pursue our advocacy, whether win or lose. It would be meaningful if we are proclaimed because even before our services like medical assistance and (crafting) laws like solo parent subsidies and VAWC, we do our best to serve women and the community,” she added.(davaotoday.com)
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