Women and Power

November 7, 2008

The Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) Misamis Oriental Chapter had its biennial elections last Saturday, February 24, 2007. I don’t usually give a hoot about elections, since in my own unskilled thinking, election means politics and politics and I are just like oil and vinegar, we don’t mix well. But I set aside that almost-allergic reaction on elections and politics, for this one. What is remarkable about this election is not the attendance, which was abysmal, or the food, which was well, actually the same, or the contested positions, because practically there was none. Well, except for the vice-presidency, that is. It was neck to neck to the finish. What is significant is that, this is the second time in the history of IBP Misamis Oriental that it elected a woman president. The first woman president was the revered late Bella Tiro who was elected about a decade and a half ago and now, Christina Malferrari-Jugador, the incumbent vice-president of IBP-Misamis Oriental and the president of Federacion Internacional de Abogadas (FIDA), Cagayan de Oro City chapter.

I choose not to write about her candidacy in this column prior to the elections lest I be accused of actively campaigning for her, and using this page to benefit one candidate. Lawyers are jealous types, you know, and they can be mean. This time, I don’t have inhibitions anymore to dodge an opportunity of commenting about what happened last Saturday and what does it mean.

Christy did not run uncontested. She was opposed by Romeo Fortea. She had a complete line-up of officers, and she had a platform. When the dust settled, the lawyers of Misamis Oriental overwhelmingly favored Christy for various reasons which her gender may not be a primary factor, but it was a factor nevertheless. You see, after several bottles of beer, some alcohol-induced brilliant lawyers arrived at the following conclusions: one, the lawyers of Misamis Oriental are until now, still regionalistic. They tend to favor those who come from the area. Misamisnon for Misamis Oriental. Second, it pays to have a good professional relationship with co-lawyers because you can bank on their votes no matter how poor you are (meaning, you cannot afford to treat them to a night of booze and whatever to be on their good side). Third, it is good to be on the middlescence group, because most of the younger lawyers will know you more than the older ones. Fourth, it is better to be a worker and visibly working with visible results than become visible only when it’s time to reap the results of someone else’s work. Finally, it pays to be a woman.

Huh? Yeah, I know, Christy’s gender was downplayed as a factor to her winning the presidency. The drunken analysts opined strongly that it was not a woman-versus-man thing; it was actually a generation war, young-versus-old. And we know that, when it comes to running, the winner usually is the one who runs faster.

But for the women lawyers who voted last Saturday, it was a woman’s triumph as well as that of the younger generation. The women campaigned vigorously, yet quietly. Those who can influence or persuade votes did it silently.

But Christy’s victory did not end after the elections last Saturday; it will end on the next Election Day, in 2009. Her challenge is not to govern well, but to do beyond what is expected of her, as a lawyer, as a president and as a woman. Women leaders have always been victims of being compared to men when it comes to leadership and most often than not found wanting. Now, when you’re comparing a woman’s leadership to that of an individual whose penchant for management is to delegate, delegate and delegate to his secretary or administrative assistant, we’re always going to conclude that women are nothing compared to men. Yeah, right. Comparing a woman’s leadership quality and that of a man’s is like comparing Angelina Jolie and Bakekang. Same body, different packaging, therefore, different effect. (For comments and/or violent reactions e-mail me at coi_416@hotmail.com)

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Written by admin · Filed Under Columnists, Sai/Mami/Fiscal Eldred Cole