1937 Philippine women's suffrage plebiscite

Background

Women's suffrage movement

Main article: Women's suffrage in the Philippines

Under the United States administration of the Philippines, the question of women's suffrage for Filipina women gained momentum.

It was upper and middle class Filipina women who led the campaign for women's suffrage in the Philippines. They also had help from American suffragist women and sympathetic American colonial officials including Governor Generals Francis Burton Harrison, Leonard Wood, and Frank Murphy.

The first bill was passed in the upper house in 1920. But no women's suffrage bill would become law until the 1930s.

Women's suffrage was opposed by conservatives which is seen as affront to "family values" Women were frequently alleged to don't desire suffrage themselves by opponents. Women's ability to participate in politics was also viewed with skepticism.

In 1933, Act No. 4112 became law granting women the right to vote but this legislation was never implemented and was effectively revoked with the adoption of the 1935 constitution.

Legal basis

In 1934, the 1935 constitution was approved. Article 5 of the constitution stated that "The National Assembly shall extend the right of suffrage to women, if in a plebiscite which shall be held for that purpose within two years after the adoption of this Constitution, not less than three hundred thousand women possessing the necessary qualifications shall vote affirmatively on the question".

The National Assembly passed Commonwealth Act No. 34 which was approved on 30 September 1936; the act provided for the holding of the plebiscite for women's suffrage the following year. As mandated by Commonwealth Act No. 34, women who met the same qualification as men would be qualifies to vote in the plebiscite.

Question

Voters were asked the following:

In English:

In Spanish:

Results

447,725 women voted in favor of extending the right to vote to women while 44,307 voted against.

Since the prerequisite of minimum of 300,000 affirmative votes was met, the right of suffrage was extended to women, in compliance with section 10 of Commonwealth Act No. 34.

In order to be approved, there should be 300,000 or more "Yes" votes.

Legacy

In 1947, 10 years after Philippine women were granted the right to vote, Geronima T. Pecson was elected as the first women senator. The election of Pecson prompted the entry of more women into governmental leadership positions, including the eventual election of two presidents, three vice presidents, congresswomen, senators, mayors, and many others. The Philippines is one of the earliest countries in Southeast Asia to have a female president, Corazon Aquino, who was elected to office on February 25, 1986. The country also has higher female representation in government relative to other Southeast Asian countries.

Teodoro Agoncillo hailed women's suffrage as one of the most significant acchievement of the Philippine Commonwealth government.

The current Constitution of the Philippines, ratified in 1987, grants equality for both men and women, and guarantees the rights to suffrage, public service, political expression, and the right to information. The Philippines is also a signatory of the United Nations Convention on the Political Rights of Women (CEDAW).

References

References

1. "Commonwealth Act No. 34".
2. (2021). "Manuel L. Quezon and the Filipino women's suffrage movement of 1937". UP College of Mass Communication.
3. (26 April 2022). "The Filipino women’s suffrage rights and UPink fight". Philippine Daily Inquirer.
4. (30 April 2013). "Today in History: In 1937, Women's Suffrage in the Philippines Was Approved in a Special Plebiscite Mandated by Commonwealth Act No. 34, Where Voting Was Restricted to Women Who Possessed the Qualifications Required for Male Voters.".
5. "Geronima T. Pecson".
6. (17 July 1933). "Hawes Act Vote Asked By Murphy". The New York Times.
7. "Government At a Glace, Southeast Asia 2019".
8. (8 March 2022). "Only men enjoyed the right of suffrage in PH until 1937".
9. Feliciano, Myrna S.. (1990–1991). "The Political Rights of Women in Philippine Context". Review of Women's Studies.