The Center for Women’s Resources (CWR) unveiled its latest findings on women’s political participation ahead of the May 12, 2025 national and local elections, revealing widespread distrust in the political system and electoral process among women.
In a press conference held at the Kamuning Bakery Café, CWR shared the results of its “Women’s Political Participation Survey.” The event, known as Kuro Pulso ng Kababaihan, is part of an ongoing initiative by CWR to gauge women’s engagement in politics.
CWR Research Coordinator Bren Yasay emphasized the significance of women’s voting rights, which were granted in 1937, and noted the consistently high turnout of women voters since then.
Survey participants came from various regions, including Cavite, Bulacan, Laguna, Nueva Ecija, Batangas, Iloilo City, Davao City, the National Capital Region, Rizal, and the Cordillera Administrative Region. A staggering 74.5% of respondents reported a combined family income of less than P15,000 per month, placing them below the poverty line.
Comelec data from 2022 shows that women accounted for 33.6 million of the 65.7 million registered voters—1.5 million more than men. Women’s turnout was also slightly higher than men’s in both the 2016 and 2019 elections.
Despite their numbers, women remain underrepresented in government. In the 19th Congress, only seven of 24 senators (29%) and 85 of 311 representatives (27.3%) were women. Of the 13,586 positions contested in 2022, just 30.47% were won by women—many of whom served as placeholders for male relatives due to term limits.
The CWR study explored how women decide whom to vote for, what candidate qualities they value, and how gender influences their political behavior. It also outlined women’s key concerns for the upcoming election.
Top on the list of voter priorities were economic issues: high commodity prices (23.23%), job creation (20.48%), and wage increases (17.64%). These concerns made up over 60% of the respondents’ priorities, highlighting the need for economic reform and improved living conditions. Education (15.5%) and healthcare (13.76%) also ranked high.
Crucially, the survey uncovered widespread dissatisfaction with the political system. Over half (54.4%) of women surveyed described elections as chaotic (“magulo”) and believed vote-buying—via cash or “ayuda”—was rampant. Corruption ranked third among major concerns, with 9.3% of respondents identifying it as a pressing issue.
Yasay clarified that the survey was conducted among registered women voters through interviews with women’s groups and organizations in various regions. The study was conducted from January to March 2025 and involved over 500 respondents, surpassing the original target sample of 385, with a 5% margin of error.
She stressed that women should not be used as tools or entertainment during election campaigns and criticized the persistent influence of the so-called “4Gs”—Guns, Goons, Gold, and Girls.
CWR Research Program Assistant Angela Panagsagan echoed this sentiment, noting that many women feel coerced into compliance out of fear of being removed from voters lists, and that treating women as campaign props is becoming normalized.
Cham Perez, CWR’s Executive Director and spokesperson for the BaBaE (Babae, Bantayan ang Eleksyon) Network, underscored the need to understand these survey patterns in light of political dynasties and limited options available to women voters. She acknowledged that while many women remain politically active, there is still a sense of hope.
Perez concluded by emphasizing the need for laws that prioritize gender equality and women’s rights—including their inclusion in educational curricula—and clarified that the CWR does not support or endorse any political candidate or party.#
