Women were outraged when Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) director general Guiling Mamondiong made sexist statements.
For starters, Mamondiong said women should no longer work abroad because they are "pinapadala sa ibang bansa para gawing alipin lamang (being sent abroad to become slaves)." He also said, "When the women are empowered they become more powerful not just in the workplace but [also] at home. Halos wala na silang oras sa kanilang mga asawa dahil sila nga ay powerful. (They almost have no time for their husbands anymore because they are powerful)."
Philippine Daily Inquirer reports that Senator Risa Hontiveros, chair of the Senate committee on women, reacted to the TESDA chief's pronouncements.
Addressing Mamondiong, Hontiveros declared, "We are not your servants. On behalf of Filipino women, especially those who work abroad, I'd like to remind the Director-General that our empowerment does not come at men’s expense."
Hontiveros added, "I respectfully ask the Director-General to clarify his remark and his views on women. It is not within men's rights to dictate what role women should play whether it is at home or work."
Hontiveros also pointed out that it was quite ironic that Mamondiong would make sexist remarks while the country is celebrating Women's Month.
This story originally appeared on Cosmo.ph.
* Minor edits have been made by the Femalenetwork.com editors.
