A MAN’S TRIBUTE TO WOMEN

My mother retired as one of the finest public school teachers our central elementary school ever had. She never got any such public recognition though, and is now lying in bed partly paralyzed. Her former pupils would be in a better position to say whether she was indeed one of the best. Although I was also once one of her Grade II pupils in the late 1960s, I can assure you, I never enjoyed any favor or undue advantage over my classmates.

In the 1940s our educational system churned out young teachers after preparing them for only about two years of teachers’ training in college. Mama then started teaching at the age of 19, beginning her career in the remotest barangays of Bohol. She was the first woman I knew in this lifetime. But I am a believer in reincarnation. Therefore, I also believe that I have had other mothers in previous lifetimes. But that’s another story.

From the stories my father told me, I knew that Mama had to walk from the highway to the hinterland school where she was teaching. Habal-habal (single motorcycle-for-hire) was not yet invented at that time. I knew too that even while she was working, she worried about us her kids, our Papa, our food, the laundry, our lolas, and various other needs at home. She also served as our pre-school teacher, telling us stories of myths and legends such as Ang Singsing Sa Hari, Ang Aniniput, (The King’s Ring, The Firefly) and many others, before sleeping. Back then, there was no kindergarten yet in our hometown.

Obviously, women then, as now, had been doing various tasks at the same time, so to speak, multi-tasking when that cyberword was still unheard of. Much like my sisters, my wife, my womenfriends and most other Filipino women still do today, both married and unmarried, especially those who have children. Think of the thirty-something single mom who had to wake up at four in the morning to cook breakfast for her child, bathe him, take him to school, go back home, bathe herself, eat breakfast, dress up and go to work. When she goes home after five, she has to look into her child’s school assignments and projects for the next day. She could only sleep a little longer on Saturday mornings. But she still has to do the laundry when she wakes up. An excruciating experience that most men, like me, would rarely have to deal with.

This tribute to women is not meant to denigrate the role of men at all. Nor have I felt any less of a man during those times when my wife did the crucial acts and decisions for the family. I could have also written an article as a tribute to my wife. After all, she is the only person (a woman at that) in our province in recent years who had the guts to stand up to a powerful politician. She did not just win the court battle, but most importantly, she won the politician’s respect. But it would have sounded like a piece for Valentine’s Day. Besides, it would not be fair to her, to my mother, sisters, women-friends and beloved, to heap all the accolades on her alone.

We can celebrate the fact that at this juncture in our country’s history the women’s movement succeeded in institutionalizing gender and development issues in the mainstream of our society. Let this not however divert our attention from the reality that politics and popular religions still generally treat women as second class citizens. Even if we can bravely retort that we have had two women presidents in our country, I could only lamely concede a little that I am proud of Cory Aquino as a living symbol of active nonviolence. As for Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, she is certainly at the farthest opposite end of the spectrum when I think of ideal female leaders. But no one would argue with me when I say, she is one hell of a woman. But if I were to think of ideal women, I would rather look up to Michelle Obama and Lea Salonga.

On the economic front, we usually take it for granted that men earn a living to support the family. But if we seriously compute the inputs of women (even those who are supposedly just mere housewives) into the family budget, it turns out that women are indeed the better half. I am not out pull women’s legs. After all, I am writing this piece for a song. It is just that March is Women’s Month, and I got this privilege to write for a paper run by wonderful women. And speaking of songs, here is one I wrote for women at the turn of the millennium:

THE GREATNESS OF A WOMAN

I’ve been told by a certain wiseman
To respect every man and woman.
The lesson seemed too simple.
But it’s hard to get it done.

But a prophet now has taught me
That the future is for the women.
I tried to find the meaning.
Now I think it fin’lly has come.

Any scene or undertaking
Now involves the better-half.
Not just partner in our progress
But she leads and she commands.

See the greatness of a woman
In her heart and in her hands.
In her mind she’s thinking grand
And she can show she understands.

In every field and every program
There’s a woman doing part.
They believe that what they’re doing
Is for the welfare of everyone.

Have a meaningful Women’s Month celebration!