PBA Party-list Rep. Migs Nograles (Dexter Barro II/ MANILA BULLETIN)

While voting preferences have evolved throughout the years to include aspiring public servants with more diverse personalities and backgrounds, politics remain a male-dominated space.  

One only needs to look at the composition of the House of Representatives in the 19th Congress to realize that men and women aren't of equal footing in the political arena: Out of 316 House seats only 85 are occupied by women. 

This is a far cry from previous Congresses when female representation in the legislature was more substantial. 

But Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta (PBA) Party-list Rep. Margarita “Atty. Migs” Nograles refuses to view this as a negative; for her, this simply means that the legislative branch is “more open” to female trailblazers.

In an interview with the Manila Bulletin on the occasion of Women's Month, Atty. Migs cited the multi-tasking ability of women-lawmakers. 

“I would always say, yung babae kasi kaya nilang pagsama-samahin lahat (women can do everything at once), they’re multi-taskers. Kaya nila (They can do it) as a politician, as a wife, as a mother, as a tita (aunt),” she said.  

Recalling the recent all-women plenary session in the House, Atty. Migs reckoned that the “stigma” against women in Congress is slowly being eroded by time. She called this a positive development. 

“It is still a male-dominated work environment but we see now that open sila (they’re open). Nakikinig ang other lawmakers. Kahit papaano nababalanse, nagiging equal ang tingin ng aming colleagues na mga lalaki sa mga babae. We work together,” said the daughter of the late former Speaker Prospero Nograles. 

(Other lawmakers are listening. It’s somehow balanced, our male colleagues are looking at women as their equals.) 

Raised in a family entrenched in public service, Atty. Migs acknowledged that the women in her life helped shaped who she is today. She said her mother, sisters, and sisters-in-law will always be at the “forefront in molding” the lawmaker that she has become. 

The lawyer-turned-congresswoman noted that she also looked up, to and was inspired by other female politicians. She gave special mention to the “Iron Lady of Asia”--the late senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago--who used to make grown men shake in their boots with her feisty brilliance. 

PBA Party-list Rep. Migs Nograles (Dexter Barro II/ MANILA BULLETIN)

With gender equality and women’s rights comprising a huge part of her legislative advocacies, the young solon says she appreciates how the House under the leadership of Speaker Martin Romualdez has become more responsive to the issues affecting women. 

She shared that House bills on this matter are granted higher priority and are not “shunned” compared to before. 

“Mas open-minded na, mas marami sigurong bata ngayon so mas open-minded sila. Mas alam nila ‘to. We have yet to see [the bills make it into law], pero nakikita natin at least gumagalaw at medyo napapabilis. Hindi siya nilalagay lang sa side…At least now nakikita natin mas tinitingnan, binibigyan ng importansya itong mga ganitong klaseng bills,” she pointed out. 

(They are more open-minded, maybe because they’re younger so they are more open-minded. They know this better. We have yet to see [the bills make it into law], but we can at least see it moving and expedited. It is not just put on the side...At least now we see that these kinds of bills are being looked at more, and are being given importance.) 

One measure that Atty. Migs is currently working on is the proposed Anti-Domestic Abuse bill, which is akin to the Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children (VAWC) Act. 

A key difference is the inclusion of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA+) community for a “holistic approach” against domestic violence. 

As a representative of a party-list that champions active, retired, and differently-abled Filipino athletes and artists, she noted that she is also wants to pursue legislation that will cater to the needs of women athletes given their influential role in combating stereotypes and discrepancies in the world of sports. 

With the spotlight turned toward the Davao-based congresswoman thanks to her vital role in the House probe into the legislative franchise of controversial network SMNI, Atty. Migs said she that she faced extreme scrutiny due the complexities of the issues. 

She argued that had she been a male legislator, then she probably “would not have gotten the same scrutiny”. 

“You just have to carry on, carry through, and move forward and still be grateful that you’re alive…that you get to help and bumalik ka lang kung ano gusto mong gawin (just go back to what you want to do), and this one for me is public service,” she remarked. 

When asked if she sees herself as an influential figure, Atty. Migs answered by saying that she was uncertain. However, she hopes that her advocacies and projects will ignite inspiration. 

The young lawmaker insists that women should share center stage with men, be it in the legislative process, at the workplace, at home, and even when it comes to pursuing one's dreams. 

“Huwag kayong matakot to dream. Huwag kayong matakot to make mistakes. At lalong-lalo na huwag kayong maniwala at makinig sa mga taong nagsasabi na hindi mo magagawa at hindi mo makakamtan ang mga gusto sa buhay dahil lang babae ka,” she said.  

(Don't be afraid to dream. Don't be afraid to make mistakes. And especially, don't believe and listen to people who say that you can't do it and you won't get what you want in life just because you're a woman.) 

“Babae ka, that’s a power in itself, hindi ka babae lang.” 

(You're a woman, that's a power in itself, you're not just a woman.)