This has
encouraged Private Raniene Jane Hamillian, 21, an enlisted lady soldier to
continue working for the AFP.
Hamillian, who
has been in the military service for more than a year now, told the Philippine
Information Agency (PIA) in an interview that women are “treated as equals
inside the camp.” She is one of three lady soldiers – an officer and two
enlisted personnel - working in the 1st Cavalry (Tagapanguna) Squadron, First
Mechanized Infantry Division in Camp Col Jacobe Zobel, Upper
Pulacan , Labangan, Zamboanga del Sur.
At first,
Hamillian said, it was not her dream become a soldier because she found it very
difficult to compete with men. But an uncle pushed her to enter the military
service, as he noticed that she had potentials to become a good soldier.
“Nadasig ako
sa awhag sa akong Tito nga mosulod pagka-sundalo tungod kay iyang nakita nga
taas akong height ug nagtuo siya nga mahimo nako ang mga gimbuhaton sa
mga lalaking sundalo. Ako usab nakita nga adunay babaye nga sundalo nga ang
ilang height average lang,” Himilian explained.
(I was inspired
by my uncle to enter the military service because I have my height and he
believes that I can do what the men can and I have also noticed that the height
of other female soldiers is only average.)
“Usa usab ka
butang nga dili nako malimtan ni Tito nga dihang giingnan ko niya, ‘You will be
somebody someday’,” Hamillian
quoted her uncle as saying.
(I cannot also
forget what my uncle told me “You will be somebody someday.”)
After she
graduated from her two-year course of Information Technology in Iligan City
A dancing
soldier
With her dancing
prowess, Hamillian leads the officers and men of the 1st Cavalry Squadron in
their Zumba session every Tuesday and Thursday at 6 a.m.
Hamillian said
she feels proud that she was given the opportunity to lead the officers and men
in their weekly Zumba session.
“Wala gyud ko
magdahum nga mangulo sa among Zumba session tungod kay kaniadto dinha ra ko sa
atbang duol sa entablado ug inanay gihimo ko nga usa sa mangulo sa maong
session sa among battalion”, Hamillian proudly said.
(I did not really
expect that I would lead the Zumba dance session because I only used to stay in
front near the stage. But, eventually they ordered me to lead the session in
our battalion.)
Hamillian said
aside from her office work, she is also actively assisting her male counterparts
during medical and dental civic action programs (MEDCAPs) in the different
barangays within the area of responsibility of the unit.
Meanwhile, Lt.
Col. Charlemagne Batayola said the unit is recognizing the vital role of women
in our society adding that that “they (women) can lead the organization well.”
Batayola
congratulated the enlisted women for they are faring well in their tasks and
duties.
In the 1st
Cavalry Squadron, Batayola said, female officers and enlisted women became Gold
crosser and combat awardees, a solid proof that they can be deployed in the
combat areas.
“With the
government’s implementation on Republic Act 9710 otherwise known as The Magna
Carta of Women, they (women) can now fully assert their rights as persons in
our society,” he added.
“Unlike before,
Filipino women lacked access to decent work and faced occupational segregation
and wage gaps; they were only allowed to perform household chores. But with the
law, they are now empowered. Civil and political rights enjoyed by men are also
enjoyed by our women,” he added.
“Inside the camp
the tasks given to men are capably handled by the women,” stressed Batayola
adding, “We treat women with respect.
He also
emphasized, “our government has acknowledged that development is not going to
happen without the full involvement and active participation of women.”
http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/1371428308349/feature-women-s-role-in-military-organization-recognized
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