FEMINIST MOVEMENT

Women suffrage were well known in the early 19th century and it is defined as women's right to vote, it is one way for women to gain a voice in that time where they were still being considered as child-bearers and homemakers only. In 1903, with the Association of Ilonga Feminists by Pura Villanueva Kalaw raised the call for women's suffrage until 1928, where American suffragettes Mrs. Carie Chapman Catt and Aleta Jacobs organized an association focused on civic works, the campaign between two American suffragettes together with local women was regularized by the National League of Filipino Women and the Women’s Citizen’s League. Not until 1937 where women in the Philippines have fully exercised their right to vote. In comparison to the 1st wave in the feminist movement that happened in 19th to early 20th century, suffragettes in UK and in US were still fighting for their rights to vote.

Women in the early 18th century in the Philippines were still not given the opportunity to hold their own land with their names on it, but with the passage of the 1988 Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law (RA 6657), local women were given their right to finally own a land; Whereas in the 1st wave of the feminist movement, the suffragettes were fighting to secure women's right to hold a property. 

The year 1987 was marked as the peek of women's empowerment in the Philippines, this was mainly because of honoring the country's first female president. With this event, feminists at that time would have probably said that they have finally achieved their right to vote and they are then facing the fact that women can now be in a position as leaders. The same year was also the new adaptation of the Philippine Constitution where the fundamental equality between men and women were mandated. Meanwhile, the 3rd wave in the feminist movement that occurred in the late 1980's to 1990's was formed with the women's concern over their everyday lives, where they strive to combat different types of inequalities and sexual orientation; The 1992 Women's Political Caucus had provisions to penalize sexual harassment in the workplace and sex discrimination in hiring, support women’s livelihood activities, eliminate gender stereotypes, and promote non-sexist projection of women in culture and media. Which in short, the women at that time are trying to fight the same inequalities and harassment, along with the 3rd wave's grievances, that concerns their everyday living. 

Nonetheless, the feminist movement and The Philippines' feminist movement had a lot of objectives that were met and there were great progress through the years. It could have been truly a great pleasure, adventure, and fight for those women who resisted their rights for the women of today, regardless of gender and color.