A HOUSE leader has hailed President Rodrigo Roa Duterte (DU30) for enacting Executive Order (EO) No. 167, which reinforces the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW).

The EO strengthens the organizational structure of PCW by raising the rank of its chairperson and opening the body to more sectors.

“We applaud and thank President Duterte for recognizing the role and scope of PCW as the primary policy-making and coordinating body on women and gender equality concerns,” Deputy Speaker and Bagong Henerasyon (BH) Rep. Bernadette Herrera said.

Under the EO, the PCW chairperson will serve on a full-time basis with the rank of an undersecretary.

The executive fiat also increases the members of the Commission from nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to 12 from ten, with the addition of representatives for senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs).

“The President really made sure that all major sectors are represented in the Commission so that it can effectively come up with policies that benefit women from all walks of life,” the House leader said.

Prior to becoming Deputy Speaker, Herrera served as chair of the Committee on Women and Gender Equality and vice-chair of the Committee on Welfare of Children in the current 18th Congress.

Herrera expressed the belief that empowering women is essential to the social and economic development of families.

“‘Pag babae ang inangat, buong pamilya aangat,” Herrera said.

In her many years in Congress, Herrera authored several laws that significantly affect women, one of which is the 105-Day Expanded Maternity Leave Act.

She also vigorously pushed for the bill banning child marriage in the country, which was recently signed into law by President Duterte.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Ryan Ponce Pacpaco