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On March 8, enlightened Filipinas celebrated International Women’s Day with seminars, lectures and workshops to empower themselves. I wonder what they thought about President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s (PRRD) admiration of Agriculture Undersecretary Berna Romulo-Puyat’s legs… President Digong said: “Berna, nadis-distract ako, you close your legs. National TV ’no. Nakikinig pa ba ang papa mo?” causing Berna to blush. I guess our President is a legs’ man: last year, he had also commented on Vice-President Leni Robredo’s legs.

Filipina feminists have struggled for decades to be taken seriously. Does our President realize that his off-the-cuff remarks about women’s physical attributes detract from their accomplishments, particularly since they are high-ranking government officials? In the pre-Trump United States, such statements would have opened the door to sexual harassment lawsuits.

It is really unfortunate, since the President has a track record of support for women’s empowerment.

For instance, when he was Mayor, Davao City was one of the first to enact local legislation to protect women. In 1997, Davao passed City Ordinance 5004 or the Women Development Code of Davao City, contains a section called “Other Forms of Sexual Harassment” prohibited in the city. One of these is the “persistent telling of offensive jokes such as green jokes or other analogous statements to someone who finds them offensive or humiliating.”

So unfortunate, since his message for the International Women’s Day, extolled the “amazing ways” by which women have transformed societies, citing them as heroes. He pledged to support and recognize Filipinas’ “invaluable contributions in sports, science, governance, education, public service and the arts.” PRRD really has to be more circumspect with his language, now that he is President.

My mother, former Senator Santanina “Nina” T. Rasul, together with Senator Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel, Jr., championed Mindanao interests and came to know the local government officials. However, mom also championed the rights of women. While she has lauded the election of a Mindanaoan to the highest public office, it pains her when the President throws one of his impromptu and often inappropriate remarks.

I have been very lucky to have served as chief of staff of Sen. Rasul during those heady days of democracy after the EDSA People Power, which forced strongman President Ferdinand Marcos, Sr. to leave the country. Surrounded by intellectual giants who converted the Senate sessions into enlightening debates in pursuit of legislation, we who worked for the Senate took pride in the achievements of our Senators.

In celebration of Women’s Day, I wish to pay tribute to the two roses of the Senate (1987-1992) — Nina Rasul and Leticia “Letty” Ramos-Shahani, who have inspired women from Tawi-Tawi to the Cordilleras, with their achievements as public servants and as private citizens.

Nina Rasul sponsored RA 9649, declaring March 8 of every year as National Women’s Day in the Philippines. She was elected senator and served for two consecutive terms; from 1987 to 1992 and from 1992 to 1995. As a senator for eight years, Rasul authored, co-authored, and/or sponsored important legislation concerning women’s rights, Muslim affairs, family, and gender equality. One of her landmark legislation was RA 7192 or the Women in Development and Nation-Building Act of 1995 that empowered women; allocated development funds for women’s initiatives; and opened the Philippine Military Academy to women. A peace champion, she was a member of the government panel during the peace talks with the Moro National Liberation Front that lead to a peace agreement that was signed in 1996.

Since I have written about my mom often, let me tell you more about Senator Letty Ramos-Shahani, our Manang Letty. I got to know her well after she and mom had left the Senate. Manang Letty is in many ways, like mom: a bulldog with her cause, methodical and systematic, patient and hardworking. Never stopped reading, analyzing, and learning. Once Manang Letty and mom committed to a priority bill, there was no way it would not pass. They would wear down the resistance of their fellow senators, thru logic and compromise. And the occasional nagging.

Manang Letty’s landmark laws include the “Shahani Law” (Republic Act 6725, Strengthening the Prohibition of Discrimination Against Women in the Workplace) which addresses gender discrimination at work; the Anti-Rape Law of 1997; and RA 8505 and the Rape Victim Assistance and Protection Act of 1998, among others. She also introduced the inclusion of the mandatory five percent allocation in the budget of every government department and agency for gender and development.

Manang Letty’s trail-blazing for women’s issues started from her days at the United Nations. Joining the UN in 1964, she is considered to be one of the top ranking women of the United Nations. She is the first co-author of the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), which was based on the working draft known as the Philippine-Soviet Draft. She served as chair of the UN Commission on The Status of Women in 1975; secretary general of both the Third UN World Conference on Women and Seventh Congress on Crime Prevention and Treatment of Offenders. She served as UN assistant secretary general for Social Development and Humanitarian Affairs.

Two years ago, the House of Representatives and the Committee on Women and Gender Equality of the Philippines honored Senator Shahani for her valuable contributions in shaping the women’s global agenda and pioneering initiatives for the empowerment of women through a national resolution.

A diplomat and international civil servant, an advocate of women’s rights, champion of family planning and population management, a literature student turned legislator and now a farmer. Manang Letty, like mom, refuses to rest on her laurels, and continues to push against boundaries that impede women’s effective participation in society.

I am trying to imagine our President with Manang Letty and my Mom, two icons of Filipina empowerment. Walang takas.

Amina Rasul is a democracy, peace and human rights advocate, president of the Philippine Center for Islam and Democracy.