During the “Eminent Women in Politics Lecture Series” last April 26, Former Senator Leticia Ramos Shahani shared her insights on the current political scene in the Philippines as well as encouraged women to play leadership roles in politics.

“Tragically, politics as we have shaped it in this country [the Philippines] is the destructive and selfish use of political power...politics has become a profession, a business for many to make fast money from the people's tax payments with impunity.”

These were the words of Former Senator Leticia Ramos Shahani as she kicked off the “Eminent Women in Politics Lecture Series” last April 26,  who spoke about her political career and experiences at the same time encourage more young women to play leadership roles in politics. But her insights not only appeal to women, but to all in general, as she called for changes in the country's current political landscape, which she hopes will begin in the May 14 elections.

What a senator should be

As today's trend in the Philippine political scene sees more actors and celebrities running for different posts, Shahani said that she “sympathise with those Senators who are elected to the Senate on the basis of mere popularity and celebrity status, based on jueteng royalties, cinematic glory and the like.”

“Without wishing to be self-serving and intellectually arrogant...serving in the Senate requires a broad intellectual orientation—writing, speaking, articulating national problems are musts in a political institution whose main task is to debate and clarify national issues in order to craft appropriate and timely laws for the progress and welfare of our people,” she said.  

“...to be an effective Senator, one needs a passion to understand current events and history, plenty of native intelligence and a heart in the right place in order to respond to the needs of the people. Without these qualities, the Senate becomes debased and stunted as a political institution,” Shahani added.

Women's participation in politics

“...a woman Senator has to be more prepared, better read than her male colleagues if she is to be taken seriously by them in what is still, essentially, a male institution,” she warned.

The former senator posed recommendations on how women can achieve political reform and change in our country—“by participating: (1) directly in the political institutions of our country as elected officials at the barangay, municipal, provincial and national levels; and (2) by working for political reform as NGOs, members of think tanks, academic advocates, business people for social progress, members of media; all these individuals and groups who are committed.”

Although, Shahani reminded that “...the record of women in politics, worldwide, is a mixed one. We still have to prove that women, as women, can make a difference in governance and provide an alternative.”

According to Shanani, “Certainly, politics in a democratic setting should not exist as a means to perpetuate the selfish interests of individuals, families and oligarchs but rather to widen citizen’s participation to create a just, participatory and genderised society...Women should be militant and vigilant on issues dealing with sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.”

The “Eminent Women in Politics Lecture Series” was organised by the Miriam College-Women And Gender Institute (WAGI), in cooperation with the Office of the Senate President. It aims to draw inspiration and lessons to fast track gender equality in politics and transform politics to benefit women. Former Senator Leticia Ramos Shahani currently sits on the Board of Trustees of Isis International-Manila.

Click here for the full text of the speech.