Councilor Joanne Valdez of Candon City, Ilocos Sur, is not spared the challenges that beset many female officials in local government units in the Philippines, where politics is strongly marked by machismo.

“During my first term, I was subjected to catcalling during a photoshoot, and I heard my male colleagues placing bets on me. I heard them say ‘1,500’ or ‘2,000,’” she said.

Valdez was only 28 years old when she entered politics. As a young woman, unlike a man, she has had to exert double, if not triple, the effort to be heard in official meetings. 

“You have to stand your ground in dealing with these challenges,” she said. “You deal with the situation by not turning your back on what you’re fighting for, but you have to be creative and innovative in championing [your causes].” 

Valdez is one of three female public servants in Candon, the other two being the vice mayor and another councilor. In the provincial government of Ilocos Sur, all elected officials are male but for two female board members. 

The Philippine Commission for Women concluded in 2020 that at the national level, women’s participation and representation in politics are at best a paltry 26% of elected posts. 

Angat Bayi

The need for the greater number and power of women in Philippine politics prompted the ideation of the Angat Bayi Women’s Political Empowerment and Fellowship program, also known as Angat Bayi, which is dedicated to elected female leaders in the Philippines like Valdez.

“Angat Bayi started with the general purpose of having women elected leaders fully and meaningfully participate in the political space,” said Aya Tamayo, Bayi Inc. co-executive director for operations.

The program started in 2018 under the University of the Philippines’ Center for Women’s Studies Foundation Inc. It was first envisioned by Maya Tamayo, its co-founder and program manager, who was then pursuing a master’s degree in women and development. 

It has since provided a safe space for elected women leaders through the support of various partners such as the Canadian Embassy, Angat Buhay Foundation and other advocacy-oriented entities.

Angat Bayi grew into an independent nongovernment organization, Bayi Inc. (The word “bayi” directly translates to “woman” in Bisaya, Tamayo pointed out.) It should not be confused with former vice president Leni Robredo’s Angat Buhay Foundation, with which it partnered in its early years of implementation. 

The program employs the transformative feminist leadership framework in advancing gender equality amid the patriarchal structure and power imbalance in Philippine politics. It is also aimed at doing away with the “bench warming phenomenon” in which “women are used by their husband, father, or other men family members to reserve positions until the male relative can run.”

Said Tamayo: “When we talk about gender equality or women empowerment, we often forget the power dynamics between men and women. How do women politicians fare with the discrimination and subordination in politics?” 

3-course program

Since 2018, Angat Bayi has empowered more than 120 elected women leaders, covering more than 47 local government units in the country. 

Under the program, each Angat Bayi batch begins with a call for nomination of potential fellows. Nominees are screened down to 20 participants per batch; they will undergo three courses, each taking five days and four nights with at least a month in between. 

In the first course, the participants reflect on their experiences as public servants and delve into the theoretical knowledge of transformative feminist leadership. In the second course, they are tasked to develop a “Likang Bayi” project that they can implement in their respective government units. 

The third course is where each participant implements her capstone project, applying the knowledge gained from the program. 

At the end of each course comes an interview in which the participants share their learnings and expectations. Under such a system, the program is curated to the participants’ needs, so that they are guided in transitioning from theoretical learning to practical application. This ensures that each Angat Bayi batch births local programs forwarding women’s rights in their respective communities. 

Valdez, who was among the first-batch fellows, implemented Candon’s own Angat Bayi Young Women’s Political Empowerment Fellowship Program (or Young Bayi) alongside Bayi Inc., Candon Youth for Empowerment Movement, and other partners. Patterned from the original program, Young Bayi caters to young women interested in taking up a government role in the future. 

The first batch of Young Bayi graduated in 2019; the second batch is still undergoing the courses this year. “Our ultimate goal is for them to take up space and run for public office,” Valdez said, remarking on the importance of “pacing” and of “starting them young, especially those with potential to lead.”

This year, the program involving school-based leaders is taking place in partnership with Barangay Banayoyo in Ilocos Sur.

“This second batch is just supposed to be a ‘barangay Bayi,’ but others have expressed interest. So we opened it up to include other people in Ilocos Sur,” Valdez said.

Solo parents

Lanao del Sur public information officer Salma Jayne Tamano joined Angat Bayi in 2023. She lobbied for the local implementation of the recently passed Republic Act No. 11861, or the Expanded Solo Parent Welfare Act. 

“I know for a fact that in Lanao del Sur, there is no institutionalized program for solo parents,” Tamano said. 

Through the local implementation of RA 11861, government units up to the barangay level are mandated to provide benefits to solo parents, such as 10% discount and value-added tax exemption on selected goods, a monthly allowance, seven-day solo parent leave, quarterly welfare packages, and prioritization in livelihood opportunities.

About 14,000 solo parents will be qualified for such benefits beginning in 2026, Tamano said.  

Tamano was a divorced solo parent before she remarried this year. She is thankful for having a well-paying job that supported her family, but pointed out that others do not enjoy such a privilege. “The government must do something,” she said.

According to Tamano, It is fortunate that Lanao del Sur Gov. Mamintal Alonto Adiong Jr. was once a solo parent. She thinks this factor contributed heavily to the local implementation of the law, even if discussing experiences involving divorce is considered taboo in Maranao society. 

Tamano said the governor had initially feared that the law would be for naught if divorcees refused to come forward, yet pursued it for their rights. “They should know that there is a law for them,” she said. “Why should you be ashamed when you need the services of the government? It is a reality that there are solo parents.”

Sisterhood

For Valdez, Angat Bayi is not just a program but a haven for women to embrace their womanhood and empower one another.  

“It became a family,” she said. “It created meaningful bonds and relationships among the people behind it and, of course, us sisters. The sisterhood that we formed during the fellowship is, for me, one of its most cherished parts.” 

Valdez and her sisters are organizing a network of women leaders not exclusive to Angat Bayi graduates, to serve as a strong ground of support for women in terms of transformative feminist leadership. 

“I know how it feels to be marginalized and to not be supported in a lot of areas. When there’s a woman who is struggling to claim space, you empower her when you offer your support and guidance to her,” she said, adding: 

“This will not end with Angat Bayi. We will always reach out to more communities, not just our localities, to be able to advance the agenda of strengthening women’s political participation in the Philippines.”

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