PHILIPPINES : More than Just Numbers: Filipino Women Speak up their Truth

A new documentary series called Women Speak Up gives a voice to working Filipino women who experience social inequality and discrimination in their everyday lives. The series was made by the Center for Liberalism and Democracy in partnership with Friedrich Naumann Foundation (FNF) Philippines to help more people understand the daily struggles of women in the country.

Released on YouTube from April 22 to 24, 2025, the three-part documentary features the real-life stories of three women: Cici Jueco, Shirley Gannaban, and Leila De Lima. Each episode shares their personal experiences and shows how women often deal with inequality, violence, and discrimination.

These are not just individual stories, they reflect the broader systemic issues that many Filipino women face today.

According to a 2024 report from the Philippine Commission on Women, and other official data, gender equality in the Philippines still has a long way to go. In fact, the Philippines recently received its lowest score in over ten years on the World Economic Forum’s Gender Gap Index.

In 2023, the Philippine National Police (PNP) recorded 13,122 cases of violence against women. These include crimes like rape, harassment, and violations of the Safe Spaces Act. Surveys also show that 13% of women aged 15 to 49 have experienced physical violence, while 4% have suffered sexual violence.

However, not all victims ask for help. Only 1 in 3 women who experienced violence sought support or reported the incident.

In the workforce, just 51.2% of women of working age are part of the labor force which far less than the 75.4% of men. Many women work in service or sales jobs. While the employment rate for women is 91.8%, slightly lower than men’s 92.5%, fewer women hold leadership positions.

In politics, the gender gap persists. As of 2024, only 23.3% of elected officials in the Philippines are women. That’s just over 3,000 women compared to more than 10,000 men in office.

Even more troubling, a 2023 study by the United Nations Development Programme found that 99.5% of Filipinos both men and women hold some form of bias against women. This shows how deeply gender inequality is embedded in society.

Women Speak Up Documentary Series brings these numbers to life through three moving stories:

Episode 1 follows Cici Jueco and her courageous search for freedom.
Episode 2 tells the story of Shirley Gannaban and how she dealt with a loss so painful, she can hardly continue.
Episode 3 features Leila De Lima and her humble beginnings, and her quest for justice.

All three episodes were directed by documentarist Janus Victoria, who captured each woman’s story with honesty and heart.

Before the online launch, Women Speak Up had an advance screening at Sine Pop in Cubao, Quezon City, on April 5, 2025. The event was attended by members of liberal women’s groups, students, rights advocates, and organizations like the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats, Kababaihang Liberal, and the UP Center for Women’s and Gender Studies.

After the screening, director Janus Victoria with other panelists joined an open forum wherein they shared their thoughts on gender equality and how storytelling can help bring about change.

Women Speak Up is more than just a film series but it’s a reminder that behind every statistic is a woman with a story, and every story deserves to be heard.

Watch the Documentary Series on YouTube:

Episode 1: Cici Jueco

https://youtu.be/RhkyNpj1zKY?si=pSfxiiO2naGAsdGz

Episode 2: Shirley Gannaban

https://youtu.be/XLm5jiF_E24?si=YwB1WG9G0t8o9vIj

Episode 3: Leila De Lima

https://youtu.be/Gv3M5KCxKxo?si=ULALE5vBxBpPt6Y

John Joseph Coronel is the President of the Center of Liberalism and Democracy, Manila/Philippines