Supreme Court Associate Justice Maria Filomena D. Singh told Filipino women to accept their role as leaders and be part of securing the future of the nation.

She gave a powerful message at the town hall meeting to celebrate International Women’s Day on 8 March at Better World Cubao in Quezon City, a center for mothers and women from nearby communities. She was joined by her younger sibling, Department of Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Singh-Vergeire.

Justice Singh, together with Health Undersecretary Singh-Vergeire, said that they take pride in their work, stressing that they are putting in honest and hard work in their respective fields to bring back the public’s trust and confidence in the government.

She said she wants to change the perception against public servants who are looked down upon by some as being corrupt and unproductive.

Women should know their rights and fight for them and help raise consciousness and responsibility especially that the election season is next year, Singh said, stressing that who the people elect will be in-charge in the making of policies and decisions for the country.

Singh said it is one of her advocacies since next year will be election season again. “Let us be a force to raise consciousness, to raise responsibility since we can only do so much because decision making, policymaking is not our handle but it is vested with people whom we will elect,” Justice Singh said.