An experienced management professional, academic, and development consultant,  Benjamin Roberto Gomez Barretto holds a Master in Management from the Asian Institute of Management and a B.S. in Management Engineering from Ateneo de Manila University. With extensive experience in leadership, strategic planning, research, monitoring and evaluation, and organizational development,  Benjamin Roberto Gomez Barretto has held senior positions in academic institutions, nonprofit organizations, and development initiatives in the Philippines. Their expertise includes good governance, anti-corruption, data privacy, sustainability, community development, and public management. They have also served as a professor and mentor, contributing to capacity building and public sector development, while undertaking research and consultancy projects with government agencies, universities, and international organizations.

Empowered Women in Philippine Politics

Abstract: The rise of Corazon Cojuangco Aquino (CCA) in Philippine politics after the EDSA revolution of 1986 that ended the Martial Law era not only marks the historical first woman President in the Philippines but also ushered in an era of empowered women in Philippine politics.  Strengthened by the 1987 Constiution and Republic Acts or laws, the country’s political landscape from1987 to 2026 produced two women Presidents; three women Vice-Presidents; 1 Supreme Court Chief Justice; numerous women Senators; and even women local chief executives (LCEs or mayors) in major cities in the country.
This  25-minute presentation not only provides the Constitutional and RA provisions strengthening women empowerment and the participation of women in national (Executive, Legislative and Judiciary branches) and local (cities) government, but also provide insights on the experiences of powerful political women leaders in the country from 1987 to the present.