Maria Josefa Gabriela Silang (March 19, 1731 – September 20, 1763)

The first Filipina revolutionary leader to lead a revolt against Spanish colonization in 1763. Born in
Caniogan, Santa, Ilocos Sur, Maria Josefa Gabriela Silang lived during the period of Spanish colonial
rule in the Philippines. After her husband was assassinated in 1763, Silang took over her husband’s
insurgency. She led the resistance for four months, earning her the nickname, “Henerala” (meaning
woman general), before her capture and execution.

Melchora Aquino (January 6, 1812 – March 2, 1919)

Melchora “Tandang Sora” Aquino was born in present-day Barangay Tandang Sora, Quezon City. She
is known as “the Mother of the Philippine Revolution” and also the first Filipina to appear on a
Philippine peso banknote, featured on the 100-peso bill.

Pura Villanueva Kalaw (August 27, 1886 – March 21, 1953)

Pura Villanueva Kalaw was not only the country’s first beauty queen, but an established journalist,
writer, suffragist, and feminist that had actively advocated for women’s rights since her youth. From
Arevalo, Iloilo, Kalaw was crowned the first “Queen of the Manila Carnival” in 1908, a position that
would later become “Miss Philippines” in 1926. In 1906, she founded the Philippines’ first suffrage
movement led solely by women, “Asociacion Feminista Ilongga.” Her campaign brought the first
suffrage bill to reach the Philippine Assembly. Under her leadership and advocacy, Kalaw was crucial
in facilitating Filipino women’s right to vote, which passed in 1937.

Francisca Tirona Benitez (June 4, 1886 – November 7, 1974)

In 1919, Benitez co-founded the Philippine Women’s college, which would later become the
Philippine Women’s University (PWU). The first university for women in Asia, established by Asian
women, Benitez becomes its president in 1920. In 1913, Benitez helped organize the Asociacion de
Damas Filipinas, an orphanage and sanctuary for children and homeless women that promoted the
importance of women in the country’s development. She supported war prisoners during the
Japanese Occupation by establishing the Volunteer Social Aid Committee. Benitez became director
of the Women’s Bureau, and further united Filipino women’s organizations in preparation for the
disasters of war.

Teresita Reyes (May 11, 1917 – 1998)

Most, if not all, Filipinos know of the popular condiment company called “Mama Sita” that produces
key ingredients found in Filipino dishes, such as sinigang and caldereta. The face behind the
Philippine brand is Teresita “Mama Sita” Reyes – also known as the “Mother of Filipino Cooking”.
Born in Manila, Reyes is known for her phenomenal cooking and family restaurant, Aristocrat.

Corazon Aquino (January 25, 1933 - August 1, 2009)

First Women President of the philippines. 1986 - 1992

What is Magna Carta of Women (Republic Act No. 9710)? The Magna Carta of Women is
comprehensive women's human rights law that seeks to eliminate discrimination against women by
recognizing, protecting, fulfilling and promoting the rights of Filipino women, especially those in
marginalized sector.
The observance of International Women’s Day (IWD) was a result of the organizing activities of
women in the early 20th Century. Between 1909 and 1911, working women in the United States of
America participated in organizing strike activities of the National Women’s Trade Union League and
other concerned groups. They were protesting against low wages, lack of protective legislation and
the very poor working conditions to which women workers were subjected during that time.

The demonstrations were an offshoot of the tragic March 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in
New York City, which took the lives of more than 140 working girls, mostly Italian and Jewish
immigrants. Subsequently, the inhumane working conditions and other unfair labor practices leading
up to the disaster were invoked during observances of IWD.

In Europe, Clara Zetkin and the Socialist Women’s International demanded that March 8th be
International Women’s Day, celebrated each year to recognize working women around the world.
The celebration of IWD has since stimulated major historical events. For instance, IWD was the
inspiration for the general strike, which began the Russian Revolution in St. Petersburg in 1917 when
10, 000 women textile workers demonstrated.

It is due to such a history of women organizing around the world that IWD was officially recognized
by the United Nations to celebrate women’s contributions to all societies.

In the Philippines, the Women’s Month Celebration has since served as a venue to highlight
women’s achievements and discuss continuing and emerging women’s empowerment and gender
equality issues and concerns, challenges, and commitments. The celebration focuses on concrete
activities that are aligned with national and international instruments and treaties such as the
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, the Beijing Platform
for Action, the Philippine Plan for Gender-Responsive Development (1995-2025), the Framework
Plan for Women, and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Legal Mandates

The passage of the following laws serves as the legal bases for the celebration of National Women’s
Month:

Proclamation No. 224 s. 1988, “Declaring the First Week of March of Every Year as Women’s Week
and March 8, 1988, and Every Year Thereafter as Women’s Rights and International Peace Day.”
Signed by former President Corazon C. Aquino on March 1, 1988, it affirmed our solidarity with the
United Nations and recognized Filipino women’s contribution to the struggle for national
independence, civil liberties, equality, and human rights.
Proclamation No, 227 s. 1988, “Providing for the observance of the Month of March as ‘Women’s
Role in History Month’” Signed by President Aquino on March 17, 1988, reinforced the earlier
proclamation by emphasizing the role of Filipino women in the social, cultural, economic and
political development throughout our history. It provided for a month-long nationwide observance
with appropriate ceremonies and activities to be spearheaded by the Commission.

R.A. 6949 s. 1990, “An Act to Declare March Eight of Every Year as a Working Special Holiday to be
Known as National Women’s Day” was signed by President Aquino on April 10, 1990. The law further
strengthened the impetus for the celebration by declaring every March 8 as a special working
holiday and enjoining employees from the government and private sector to participate in activities
conducted by their offices.

2023-2028 Theme

The 2023 National Women’s Month Celebration marks a juncture in the advancement of women’s
rights as it launches a new recurring theme from this year to 2028: WE for gender equality and
inclusive society. It sparks a renewed commitment to the advocacy and banks on the gains achieved
during the 2016-2022 theme, WE Make CHANGE Work for Women, which emphasized the need for
compassionate and harmonized networks towards gender equality and women’s empowerment
(GEWE).

The recurring theme also aligns with the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028, which aims for
“deep economic and social transformation to reinvigorate job creation and accelerate poverty
reduction by steering the economy back on a high-growth path.” The plan also highlights that
growth must be inclusive, building an environment that provides equal opportunities to all Filipinos
and equipping them with skills to participate fully in an innovative and globally competitive
economy.

We begin this new era of the National Women’s Month Celebration with the hope and ambition that
WE are all for Gender Equality, WE are all for an inclusive society.

Elements of the Theme

Gender Equality. Gender equality is the first half of the GEWE advocacy, and it is the ultimate goal
when we advance the rights of women. Thus, the theme bearing this is a call for urgent action to
double the efforts toward this absolute aspiration. In the Global Gender Gap Report, at the current
rate of progress, with the global gender gap being closed by only 68.1%, it will take 132 years to
reach gender equality worldwide, a stark difference from the figure of 99.5 years in the 2020 report.
Hence, this means that none of us, or most likely many of our children, will see gender parity in our
lifetimes. But not all hope is gone because our right for gender equality today is for a better and
more inclusive tomorrow, albeit not in the next generations.

The term gender equality is also preceded by the word “for”, signifying our call to women and
everyone to vote for, take action on, and promote equality and inclusivity.

Inclusive society. This is a call not only for a gender-responsive society but an inclusive one. A
society that overrides differences in SOGIE, class, ability, generation, status, and culture; a society
where every individual, each with rights and responsibilities, has an active role to play. Equality and
inclusion go hand-in-hand in the GEWE advocacy.

About Women's History Month

Women’s History Month had its origins as a national celebration in 1981 when Congress passed Pub.
L. 97-28 which authorized and requested the President to proclaim the week beginning March 7,
1982 as “Women’s History Week.” Throughout the next five years, Congress continued to pass joint
resolutions designating a week in March as “Women’s History Week.” In 1987 after being petitioned
by the National Women’s History Project, Congress passed Pub. L. 100-9 which designated the
month of March 1987 as “Women’s History Month.” Between 1988 and 1994, Congress passed
additional resolutions requesting and authorizing the President to proclaim March of each year as
Women’s History Month. Since 1995, presidents have issued a series of annual proclamations
designating the month of March as “Women’s History Month.” These proclamations celebrate the
contributions women have made to the United States and recognize the specific achievements
women have made over the course of American history in a variety of fields.