‘Single-mom stigma’ marks Bicam talks on Magna Carta of Women
Filipino single mothers – those who got themselves pregnant out of wedlock – now face the possibility of official discrimination in this country.
Or so it would be if a proposed insertion on the matter passes through the Bicameral Committee embroiled in talks on the Magna Carta of Women bill.
Yet not so fast too if Iloilo First District Representative Janette Loreto-Garin will have her way. Now in the open enraged with the move, the Ilongga solon addressed what she decried is an outright and real discrimination by peers in Congress.
“Magna Carta of Women is a policy that seeks to uplift the status of Filipino Women. Putting a provision that will allow further the discrimination on women will make this policy and us policymakers in this Congress a big joke!” Garin bewailed.
Garin was commenting on the proposed insertion that will allow schools to expel and deny admission to faculty members and students who got pregnant outside of marriage.
“Women have a right to equal access to education. Denying that would mean tolerating discrimination in our society,” Garin said while stressing the importance of academic freedom. “That provision will be detrimental on the advocacies we have long fought for. First, it will worsen the stigma and public ridicule on the single parents. Being a single parent alone is hard enough as it is. Let us not aggravate it by giving them that fear of losing their jobs or being kicked-out of the school because they decided to continue their pregnancy.”
And she had more to say.
“This proposal will also encourage induced abortions. By instilling fear, and aggravating a problematic situation, we will be pushing women to undergo induced abortions instead of discouraging them to do so,” Garin continued.
To note, efforts to “institutionalize” prohibition of single mothers in the academe was pushed by the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).
“I am confused on what the CBCP really wants, if indeed said proposal came from them. We should not deny women of livelihood and education, and push them to have abortions. It is not only anti-life but also anti-women. Clearly, a non-Christian act.” Garin added. “Getting pregnant outside of marriage may not be morally correct to some, but it is our moral obligation that the unborn fetus is protected and allowed to live. Let us not condemn them. We are Christians. We should not be judgmental. And doing just that, is very judgmental.”