Women leaders occupied only 14.18% of all elected positions in the Cordillera

Significant developments have provided opportunities for women to participate in the political arena and other functional decision-making; however, women's participation continues to be low in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR). Women occupy 120 or only 14.18% of the 846 elective positions from Representatives down to the councilors in the 2001-2004 term of office.

Of this figure, 99 women serve in the legislative branch of the government, while 21 are in the executive branch. In the same period, there were no women candidates in the region elected to the position of Representative and Governor. This implies that men still dominate in the political arena, and women have a small partaking in the decision-making process and public governance, in general.

Compared to the 1998-2001 term of office, the number of women elected in both the executive and legislative branch increased. From 106 elective positions, it went up to 120 or an increase of 1.49 percent.

Women need to be involved in the achievement of full development and in the decision-making functions. Women in the political area would help other women's needs to air their concerns and aspirations into developmental agenda.