Social Advocacies that Require a Political Solution

Filipino activism, broadcast journalism and politics at their best is personified in Risa Hontiveros-Baraquel, or commonly known as Risa Hontiveros, who was the party-list representative of the Akbayan Citizens’ Action Party to the 14^th Congress of the Philippines from 2004 to 2010.[1] During her first term in Congress, she has accomplished more than other members of Congress who have been in their positions longer, which has been no surprise since she has a track record of commitment and dedication to uplift the live of the marginalized, voiceless and forgotten.[2] She lost in her senatorial bid under the Liberal Party in the 2010 elections.

            Hontiveros was born in 1966 in Manila, completed her early education at the St. Scholastica’s College, graduated with a Social Sciences degree, cum laude, from the Ateneo de Manila University in 1987 and finished a Managing Arts Program at the Asian Institute of Management in 2004. She has been raising four children on her own after the demise of her spouse Francisco Baraquel Jr. who was a Philippine National Police Service Stores System operations manager.[3]

            Hontiveros was exposed early in different programs on television because of her charm and personality. She has worked as a co-host and executive producer in the stations, RPN-9, ABS-CBN, PTV-4, SBN-21, GMA-7 and IBC-13 and was GMA Network News anchor from 1992 to 1998.[4] She has also received the Golden Dove Award for Best Female Newscaster from the Kapisanan ng Mga Broadkaster ng Pilipinas. Hontiveros has been affiliated with a number of political and activist organizations and movements including Coalition for Peace, Pilipina and Institute for Politics and Governance, and has served in various committees such as Ethics and Privileges, Human Rights and Women and Gender Equality as a member of the House Minority.[5] She has filed several bills that aim to protect women and promote their rights including the Reproductive Health Bill, the Anti-Prostitution Bill and the Gender Balance  Bill. The Bill for Cheaper Medicines that she crafted allows parallel importation of medicines and compulsory licensing to lower the cost of essential medicines in the country. Her office filed the CARLExtension Bill which pushes for the extension of agrarian reform implementation and a more suitable program for the needs of farmers.[6] Among the measures she would have supported had she been elected as Senator include those on anti-corruption, salary standardization, expansion of the national health insurance program, the Alternative Mining Bill and the establishment of the Philippine Trade Representatives Office to bolster the country’s posture in global negotiations.[7]

            Risa Hontiveros’s calm demeanor in the midst of her passionate activism and convictions has earned the respect of her peers and the trust of her constituents because her voice is assured of a hearing in all settings.[8] Clear and eloquent language

without bombast is a powerfut tool in which an electoral political leader can raise issues to the level where people can truly understand and appreciate them. Hontiveros has this quality in her, which when combined with her social insight has helped open the eyes of Filipinos on what ails Philippine society and government and what can be done to improve people’s lives and their environment. What impresses me about Hontiveros is her innate social consciousness that was manifested when she was still a student and her decision to enter electoral politics to offer and realize solutions to the problems of the nation. She could easily have chosen a different and perhaps more lucrative way of life for herself and her family, but instead opted for the higher calling of public service and offering her talents for the national interest. While she may very well desire to achieve personal political glory in the process, this to my mind is a natural by-product in bringing one’s own solutions to bear on the problems at hand. Individuals like Risa Hontiveros are a cut above the rest and elicit respect and love from the citizenry.

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[1] “Risa Hontiveros-Baraquel”, Wikipedia, 19 June 2011, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Risa_Hontiveros>

[accessed 27 June 2011]

[2] “Risa Hontiveros”, Multiply, 2011, <http://risahontiveros.multiply.com/>  [accessed 27 June 2011]

[3] “Risa Hontiveros-Baraquel”, Wikipilipinas, 25 June 2010,    <http://en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php?title=Risa_Hontiveros>  [accessed 27 June 2011]

[4] ibid

[5] “Risa Hontiveros-Baraquel”, Wikipedia

[6] “Risa Hontiveros”

[7] “Risa Hontiveros-Baraquel”, Wikipilipinas

[8] “Risa Hontiveros”