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‘Who is your ghost writer?’ Netizens react to Pres. Rodrigo Duterte’s Women’s Month message

Twitter users call bull on Duterte’s statement while looking back on the sexist remarks he did in the past few years.

Netizens are in disbelief of President Rodrigo Duterte‘s Women’s Month message saying that people should put an end to the “backward mindset” when it comes to woman empowerment and gender oppression.

In a statement released by Malacanang signed by the President, it said that they can “proudly claim” that the government has done initiatives to promote women’s rights and the recognition of women’s contributions in society.

“Let us elevate women to their rightful place in society by empowering every Filipina to break not only barriers that have long hindered them from reaching their full potential, but also the backward mindset that fueled a culture of gender oppression and inequality,” the President said.

He then urged the public to support advocacies that seek to “fight for and acknowledge the inalienable rights of women as equal partners of men.”

This caused a series of annoyed reactions from netizens. Rappler CEO Maria Ressa claimed that the statement was “clearly not” from the president.

“I wonder if this administration thinks Filipinos have amnesia,” she wrote.

The news site even tweeted a thread of Duterte’s past remarks against women.

They also mentioned his sexist comments in the past and stated that he really had the “audacity” to release such a message even after making fun of women.

Others thanked the writer that crafted the speech instead of the President himself.

https://twitter.com/chrysheightx/status/1368867539690864645?s=20

“Walk the talk, Mr. Duterte!” a netizen challenged.

Some even urged Duterte to look back to his past statements against women before celebrating.

A netizen said that women “don’t need” someone like the President to celebrate the month with them saying that he wasn’t even welcome in the commemoration.

Others described Duterte as a “hypocrite.”

“On what part did you make this country a safe space for women?” a Twitter user asked.

The president’s list of sexist remarks includes a February 2018 statement ordering soldiers to “shoot communist rebels in the vagina.” In another speech, he said that foreign women don’t attract him as much because they have a “queer” odor.

“Sa malayo, maganda, exotic eh. ‘Di mo nakikita pero paglapit mo, queer na ang amoy. No, no, no, no, no. Balik tayo sa kwarto…Faithful ako sa Filipina. Marami lang sila pero faithful ako. ‘Di naman kailangan isa lang. Basta faithful ako sa Filipina. Mabango eh.”

In a more recent event, Duterte made the remark that women aren’t fit for the presidency as their “emptional set-up” is different from men’s.

“My daughter, inuudyok man nila. Sabi ko, ‘My daughter is not running.’ I have told Inday not to run kasi naaawa ako sa dadaanan niya na dinaanan ko. Hindi ito pambabae,” he said.

“Alam mo, the emotional setup of a woman and a man is totally different. Maging gago ka dito.”

Written by J M

Netizens, news media react to ‘Duterte message’ for International Women’s Day

If Pilar Pilapil is the President’s mother, she will give Duterte some advice