Life Stories of Women Political Leaders in Mindanao: Pathways to Power and Contributions to Women's Development Agenda

Abstract

The count of political posts occupied by women in the Republic has remained marginal in contrast to the number of seats filled-in by men (Tancangco, 2001). Although growing in number, there is still a need to increase women's participation as public officials as imagined and advocated by RA9710, the Magna Carta of Women. In Mindanao, for instance, it is important to acknowledge that women grew in power from 11.5% to 28.8% in the last 25 years (MindaNews, 2013). This statistical improvement, however, needs careful scrutiny as many of these officials entered the political scene as wives, daughters, sisters or widows of men elected officials (MindaNews, 2013). While this observation articulates the supposed less than ideal pathways of women into the world of politics, the stories and reflections of these women and other women politicians who do not belong to such traditional entry points remain wanting of critical interest and attention. By conducting key informant interviews with four women politicians in the Dinagat Islands, Mindanao, their stories on how they became politicians in the province shed light on unique circumstances and principles that brought them to their current political positions, and their struggles in inspiring more women to figure in the political landscape of the province. Guided by the life story approach, this study - with its key informant interviews, field visits and analysis conducted between June to December 2016 - holds that the women politicians in the Dinagat Islands who entered the political scene with their ideologies of social justice and principles of commitment, honesty, and transparency continue to keep such principles as their guide posts in gradually counteracting a political culture in the province and prefer service over power for those at the margins.