©Facebook/ Raffy Tima
Brilio.net/en - Philippines president-elect Rodrigo Duterte was recently berated in front of the media for something he did during a live televised press conference at the end of May.
The incident occurred when a female journalist, Mariz Umali, asked Duterte:
Mr. President, how will you deal with cabinet members who are non-performing? Will you be giving them a deadline?
Surprisingly, Durete replied: Youre really trying to catch my attention! He followed the sentence with a distasteful wolf whistle to let the woman know he thought she was hot. This resulted in several male audience members hooting, hollering, and cheering. At the time, Umali smiled and professionally requested to get her answer. The president replied with a flirtatious song, causing more ruckus from audience.
In countries like the Philippines, you might easily find guys catcalling pretty women in the streets. It happens often in other Southeast Asian countries too. Men whove ever done it may be showing off for their friends, and likely dont think what theyre doing is wrong -- all in good fun, perhaps. But in reality, catcalling is a mental form of sexual harassment, and the issue has been brought to the foreground in the global media recently.
Video via PiliPinas
When the Philippines president-elect whistles at a pretty journalist on live television, questions are sure to be raised about the kind of behavior thats befitting of the nations leader.
The following day, Raffy Tima -- Umalis husband who is also a journalist -- publicly criticized the president on Facebook.
The post went viral, getting 11,528 shares in a matter of hours. One netizen commented: It's just a matter of moral competence, the President was wrong, in every angle you look at it, yet his supporters refuse to see the wrong things he did or he still does [...] A person's morality isn't defined by how he leads. It is defined by what he does right, and disrespect [...]
In a subsequent press gathering, the president defended his behavior, calling it freedom of expression.
Video via Pilipinas Na Walang Katulad
Today, catcalling, stalking, and other forms of sexual harassment are considered crimes in Quezon City, the second largest urban area in the nation. Mayor Herbert Bautista aims to change the cultural mindset of men toward women in the Philippines by penalizing street-level sexual harassment like whistling and catcalling. According to a newly passed ordinance, people caught making disparaging remarks or stalking women around town may be fined up to PHP5,000 (US$108) and jailed for up to one year, maximum.
In other Southeast Asian countries, women are easily teased and treated as a sex object with harassment in public areas. Yet, they often remain silent. Hopefully, more countries will follow Quezon Citys lead in an effort to curb sexual intimidation.
Written by Selvi Nelin
(brl/red)
