Philippine Duterte Makes Another Sexist Remark: "The Presidency Is Not a Job for Women"

Denies Daughter's Candidacy Possibility, Calls It a 'Slip of the Tongue'

President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines is moving together with his daughter Sara.
[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] Rodrigo Duterte, the President of the Philippines, has sparked controversy again by making a sexist remark, saying "The presidency is not a job for women."

According to CNN and other outlets on the 15th, President Duterte stated this during a speech at the groundbreaking ceremony for a highway project held in Quezon City the previous day, advising his daughter, Sara Duterte, the Mayor of Davao City, not to run in next year's presidential election.

President Duterte recently dismissed the possibility of his daughter running for president, saying, "If she becomes president, she would have to go through what I experienced, which would be unfortunate." He added that men and women have completely different emotional structures and insisted, "This (the presidency) is not a job for women."

Sara Duterte has attracted attention as she ranked first in support among the leading candidates in a recent poll for the 2022 presidential election. However, in an interview, she expressed a desire not to run, saying she wanted her name removed from similar future polls. President Duterte has previously dismissed the possibility of his daughter running for president.

President Duterte has been embroiled in controversy for several sexist remarks over time. During his 2016 presidential campaign, he referred to a 1989 prison riot in Davao City, saying, "The inmates raped all the women, including an Australian missionary. When I saw her face, I felt sorry. She was really beautiful, and I thought the mayor should have gone first." This remark led to clashes with the Australian and U.S. ambassadors and even discussions of severing diplomatic relations.

In addition, in September 2018, President Duterte said, "There are many rape cases in Davao City," and added, "As long as there are many beautiful women, rape incidents are bound to happen," which drew severe criticism.

The Philippines has had two female presidents. The first female president was former President Corazon Aquino, who served from 1986 to 1992, and former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo ruled from 2001 to 2010. The current Vice President Leni Robredo, who opposes President Duterte, is also a woman and is included among the potential candidates for the next presidential election.