The Woman’s Role In The Developing History Of PH Agriculture?

How should we measure the Filipino woman’s role in PH Agriculture? In one word, significant. But if you isolate it, not!

From Cagayan De Oro City, JC Anito from the Department of Agriculture (DA) RFO X reports: “DA NorMin Takes Part In 2021 Nat'l. Women's Month Celebration” (Facebook sharing): “(DA-10) took part in the Serbisyo Para Kay Juana National Convergence in celebration of the Women’s Month in Cagayan de Oro City.” (“Juana” is any PH female, from male counterpart “Juan.”) On Thursday, 25 March, DA X distributed 1,020 packets of 5-in-1 assorted vegetable seeds totaling P132,600 in three variants of culinary purposes: pinakbet, chopsuey, and sinigang, to the participants. JC did not include the names of vegetables included in each packet, but it’s the giving that matters, not the gift.

Receivers of the free seeds included women’s organizations, farmers, solo parents, senior citizens, persons with disabilities, micro, small & medium enterprises, indigenous people, city scholarship parents, and community drug rehabilitation program recipients. Quite a mix of women there!

National, yes. JC says that, in her speech, DA Assistant Secretary for Agribusiness & Marketing, Kristine Y Evangelista “emphasized the significance of women in nation-building, particularly their potential contribution in boosting the agri-fishery sector.”

Note how Ms Kristine puts it – “contribution in boosting” – women are participating in a common endeavor with men. So, to me, instead of a display of gender equality; rather, it is a display of the sense of community:

The growth of farming families is not about gender equality – it is whether roles are being played appropriately for the good of all, especially the family.

JC quotes Brigida Ossa Cadiz, President of the Solo Parents Association of Barangay Iponan saying more or less (original in Visayan):

We are very thankful to DA for including us solo parents to receive assistance and for also recognizing us women as part of the society, that despite our vulnerabilities we can use this (intervention) as a tool in providing for our respective families to the best of our ability. (JC’s translation)

JC says, “The activity served as an avenue to tackle issues affecting women which (call) for tangible actions towards gender equality.” Sorry, but to me, gender equality is not the design of God – as long as the females and males live in the same society, the call is for gender responsibility. And no, the gender responsibilities are not equal – they are parallel and complementary.

JC explains the why of the occasion: “The convergence initiative is in support (of the) whole-of-government approach thru the Office of Senator Lawrence Go, together with partner cluster agencies” such as the Department of Social Welfare & Development (DSWD), Department of Health (DoH), Department of Trade & Industry (DTI), Department of Labor & Employment (DoLE), and Technical Education & Skills Development Authority (TESDA). Exactly! I say. DSWD, DoH, DTI, DoLE, TESDA –

Yes! Even as we have the “whole-of-government” we must have what I call the “whole-of-family” approach, husbands and wives and solo parents included.

I say, “Let us celebrate “The Whole-of-Family Approach to PH Agriculture!”@517

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