Bayan Muna Youth on Tuesday criticized Vice President Sara Duterte over remarks she made before Filipino workers in Hong Kong, arguing that women should not be held responsible for preventing their partners from being unfaithful.
In a statement, the group took issue with Duterte’s advice to women overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to be “magaling sa esmiringhoy” to keep their partners from cheating.
Bayan Muna Youth said the comments reduced women to “objects of sexual expectation” and shifted responsibility for infidelity away from those who choose to engage in it.
The organization said millions of Filipino women working abroad already face family separation and economic pressures while supporting their families, and that public officials should focus on addressing broader issues affecting women, including exploitation, abuse, and economic insecurity.
It stressed that fidelity and respect in relationships should not depend on women’s sexual performance, financial sacrifice, or other accommodations.
Bayan Muna Youth also acknowledged Duterte’s advice urging OFWs not to spend their earnings on boyfriends, but argued that her remarks risk reinforcing patriarchal expectations that women must continuously prove their worth through their bodies and their ability to satisfy men.
The group emphasized that women are workers and individuals entitled to dignity, autonomy, and respect, not merely sources of income or caretakers of relationships.
Calling for greater accountability from public officials, Bayan Muna Youth said jokes and casual remarks can influence public attitudes toward gender issues.
The group urged leaders to promote policies that protect women’s rights, strengthen their economic security, and uphold bodily autonomy, adding that relationships should be founded on mutual respect, equality, and accountability rather than placing the burden of faithfulness on women.# (ZIA LUNA)
