MANILA - When women work together, they become stronger and their strength is inevitably recognized, Vice President Leni Robredo said on Thursday.

Rorbedo attended the 2022 Basilan Women Executives and Leaders (BWEL) Summit during her tour of Basilan as part of her campaign, and asked women leaders in the province to keep working hard, and to keep working together.

The summit gathered women elected officials and career executives across Basilan to give a platform for their advocacies.

"Ramdam na ramdam ko po 'yun as a public servant, I am sure kayo din, na tayo we have to prove ourselves many times over bago ma-appreciate 'yung klase ng trabahong ginagawa natin," Robredo said.

(I have been made to feel, and I'm sure you have as well, to prove ourselves many times over before our work is recognized and appreciated.)

"Hindi tayo [dapat] nag-iinggitan, dapat we should always honor, treasure each other dahil tayo tayo lang naman 'yung magkakasama in the end," she added.

(We should not envy each other, and instead honor and treasure each other because at the end of the day all we have is each other.)

Despite the Philippines making strides in gender equality, Robredo said that the country remains largely patriarchal, and treats its women as "second-class citizens".

"Sa akin pong palagay nag-uumpisa kasi ito sa bahay. 'Di ba sa bahay 'yung role ng mga nanay saka mga asawa, very much taken for granted in the sense na we do all the work, we multitask, pero parating under-appreciated 'yung mga kababaihan," Robredo said.

(I think it starts at home. Women's roles at home are taken for granted despite doing all the work, multi-tasking. We remain under-appreciated.)

• Robredo's dream: A future where women's strength is not questioned

The Philippines ranked 17th among 156 countries in the latest Global Gender Gap Index in 2021, one rung lower than its ranking in the previous year.

However, it remains the highest ranking Asian country which has closed the gap between women and men by 78.4 percent.

The Global Gender Gap Index tracks progress towards closing gaps over time in terms of four areas: Economic Participation and Opportunity, Educational Attainment, Health and Survival, and Political Empowerment.

The country did poorly in closing the gender gap in political empowerment, only closing the gap by 36.2 percent.

According to the Philippine Commission on Women, only 23.1 percent of elective positions in the government are occupied by women, at 4,180 females elected.

In contrast, almost 14,000 men are elected as government officials.

Robredo said that as women continue to inspire others with their stories, peers should also learn to recognize and appreciate their strength.

"May isa pong kasabihan na pag tinulungan mo ang isang babae, parang tinulungan mo na din 'yung buong community, dahil ang isang babaeng tinutulungan, tinutulungan niya din lahat."

(There is a saying that when you help a woman, you help a community, because a woman who is helped, can help everyone else.)

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