1937 Philippine women's suffrage plebiscite

Referendum on the rights of Filipino women to vote December 2019 Are you in favor of granting suffrage to women?Commonwealth Act No. 34 https://elibrary.judiciary.gov.ph/thebookshelf/showdocs/29/23944 cs1 Supreme Court E-Library The Philippines 1936 1937 04 30 447,725 44,307 492,032 572,130 province 300,000 affirmative votes by women are needed for the approval of the proposal A plebiscite was held in the Philippine Commonwealth on April 30, 1937, to decide whether or not women could vote. thumb|Philippine President Manuel L. Quezon (center) signing the Women’s Suffrage Bill following the 1937 plebiscite. It is the culmination of the women's suffrage movement in the Philippines since the early 1900s. The plebiscite was participated by women. 447,725 voters approved to grant suffrage to women surpassing the minimum 300,000 affirmative vote requirement. Background Women's suffrage movement Women's suffrage in the Philippines Under the United States administration of the Philippines, the question of women's suffrage for Filipina women gained momentum.Alporha Veronica C. Manuel L. Quezon and the Filipino women's suffrage movement of 1937 Plaridel 2021 10.52518/2021-08valpor https://www.plarideljournal.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Early-View_2021-Alporha_2.pdf 2 January 2024 UP College of Mass Communication 5–6 It was upper and middle class Filipina women who led the campaign for women's suffrage in the Philippines. They also had help from American suffragist women and sympathetic American colonial officials including Governor Generals Francis Burton Harrison, Leonard Wood, and Frank Murphy. The first bill was passed in the upper house in 1920. But no women's suffrage bill would become law until the 1930s. Women's suffrage was opposed by conservatives which is seen as affront to "family values"The Filipino women's suffrage rights and UPink fight https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/437472/the-filipino-womens-suffrage-rights-and-upink-fight 10 November 2025 Cebu Daily News Philippine Daily Inquirer 26 April 2022 en Women were frequently alleged to not themselves desire suffrage by opponents. Women's ability to participate in politics was also viewed with skepticism.Alporha 2021 9–10 In 1933, Act No. 4112 became law granting women the right to vote but this legislation was never implemented and was effectively revoked with the adoption of the 1935 constitution.Alporha 2021 5–6 Legal basis In 1934, the 1935 constitution was approved. Article 5 of the constitution stated that "The National Assembly shall extend the right of suffrage to women, if in a plebiscite which shall be held for that purpose within two years after the adoption of this Constitution, not less than three hundred thousand women possessing the necessary qualifications shall vote affirmatively on the question". The National Assembly passed Commonwealth Act No. 34 which was approved on 30 September 1936; the act provided for the holding of the plebiscite for women's suffrage the following year. As mandated by Commonwealth Act No. 34, women who met the same qualification as men would be qualifies to vote in the plebiscite.30 April 2013 Today in History: In 1937, Women's Suffrage in the Philippines Was Approved in a Special Plebiscite Mandated by Commonwealth Act No. 34, Where Voting Was Restricted to Women Who Possessed the Qualifications Required for Male Voters. http://tumblr.malacanang.gov.ph/post/49232114250/today-in-history-in-1937-womens-suffrage-in-the dead https://web.archive.org/web/20151208052621/http://tumblr.malacanang.gov.ph/post/49232114250/today-in-history-in-1937-womens-suffrage-in-the 8 December 2015 28 November 2015 Official Tumblr Page of the Presidential Museum and Library dmy-all Question Voters were asked the following: In English: Are you in favor of granting suffrage to women? In Spanish: Esta Vd. en favor de la concesion del sufragio a las mujeres? Results 447,725 women voted in favor of extending the right to vote to women while 44,307 voted against.Alporha 2021 20 Since the prerequisite of minimum of 300,000 affirmative votes was met, the right of suffrage was extended to women, in compliance with section 10 of Commonwealth Act No. 34.Alporha 2021 20 Are you in favor of granting suffrage to women? 447725 44307 86.00 572130 Yes No Alporha 2021 20 In order to be approved, there should be 300,000 or more "Yes" votes. 1937 Philippine women's suffrage plebiscite Yes 447,725 No 44,307 #0069b5 #fcc822 #fff Legacy In 1947, 10 years after Philippine women were granted the right to vote, Geronima T. Pecson was elected as the first women senator.Geronima T. Pecson http://legacy.senate.gov.ph/senators/former_senators/geronima_pecson.htm senate.gov.ph. The election of Pecson prompted the entry of more women into governmental leadership positions, including the eventual election of two presidents, three vice presidents, congresswomen, senators, mayors, and many others.17 July 1933 Hawes Act Vote Asked By Murphy 11 The New York Times 100633307 The Philippines is one of the earliest countries in Southeast Asia to have a female president, Corazon Aquino, who was elected to office on February 25, 1986. The country also has higher female representation in government relative to other Southeast Asian countries.Government At a Glace, Southeast Asia 2019 https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/sites/a2422862-en/index.html?itemId=/content/component/a2422862-en 3.4, 3.5 oecd-ilibrary.org Teodoro Agoncillo hailed women's suffrage as one of the most significant achievement of the Philippine Commonwealth government.Samonte Severino Only men enjoyed the right of suffrage in PH until 1937 https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1169247 9 November 2025 Philippine News Agency 8 March 2022 en The current Constitution of the Philippines, ratified in 1987, grants equality for both men and women, and guarantees the rights to suffrage, public service, political expression, and the right to information.Feliciano Myrna S. 1990–1991 The Political Rights of Women in Philippine Context https://journals.upd.edu.ph/index.php/rws/article/view/3229 Review of Women's Studies 1 2 34–49 The Philippines is also a signatory of the United Nations Convention on the Political Rights of Women (CEDAW). See also Commission on Elections Politics of the Philippines Philippine elections Suffrage References External links Commonwealth Act No. 34 via the Supreme Court E-Library Category:1937 referendums Category:1937 in the Philippines Category:Women's suffrage in the Philippines Category:Suffrage referendums Category:Presidency of Manuel L. Quezon Category:1937 in women's history Category:Referendums in the Philippines Category:April 1937 in Asia