NP has most women bets in nat’l slate

by ROLLY T. CARANDANG, HANNAH TORREGOZA (Manila Bulletin)

http://mb.com.ph/articles/246667/np-has-most-women-bets-nat-l-slate

As the world celebrates International Women's Day on Monday, Senator Pia Cayetano lauded Nacionalista Party standard-bearer Sen. Manuel “Manny” Villar for including the most number of women candidates in the party’s national slate for this year’s elections.

Cayetano also called on Filipino voters to support pro-women candidates in the May 10 polls to ensure that the interest and issues of women are protected under the next administration.

“Voters should carefully study the track record of candidates, particularly their stand on women’s concerns,” she said.

“Regardless of whether they are male or female, the candidate should have a clear platform that looks after issues affecting women, including maternal health, the declining state of public health services, feminization of labor migration, gender discrimination, poverty, and trafficking.”

Cayetano, principal author of the Magna Carta of Women, added that a deeper and more diverse field of male and female candidates would give voters more options and better chances of pushing for genuine reforms in 2010.