Woman on top: Police Chief Superintendent Tanigue at the helm
If you ride the MRT or the LRT, you would notice a life-size poster of a woman police, “Aleng Pulis” as she is called in the posters. She is Police Chief Superintendent Yolanda Tanigue, the first female officer of the Philippine National Police with a star rank, equivalent to the military’s brigadier general.A mother of three, Tanigue is a registered social worker. She was commissioned as a rehabilitation officer at the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) in the 1970s. She rose through the ranks, attaining the rank of Senior Superintendent (equivalent to the military’s colonel) and Executive Officer for Investigation and Detective Management prior to her appointment as Police Chief Superintendent.
Tanigue is a strong advocate for the protection of women and minors. She led raids of prostitution dens employing minors when she was commander of Task Force Zebra of the Eastern Police District. She was at the forefront in campaigning for a women’s desk in the PNP, resulting in the enactment of Republic Act No. 8551 or the PNP Reform and Reorganization Act that created women’s desks in all police stations and the formulation of a gender sensitivity program for the PNP.
At present, Tanigue heads the all-woman Women and Children Protection Center (WCPC), which serves as the PNP’s “Women’s Desk.”
THE LOBBYiST (TL): How does it feel to be the top woman in the Philippine National Police (PNP)?
Yolanda Tanigue (YT): Well, of course before I was so overwhelmed about this because I cannot imagine being in this position. I have been dreaming of reaching the star. People were saying, “This is the unreachable star na sinasabi mo [that you’ve been sayin], Yolly, because it is impossible for you to end up with that.” Pero ang akin naman [But for me], it will come as a logical step to one’s career growth. What I mean is that dito sa trabaho namin [in our work here], it is not impossible to be promoted to general. Even if you retire as a colonel, you will reach the star; you will be given a star-rank pay. For me, it is just an ordinary direction na ang lahat naman ng kapulisan ay dapat ang direction ay towards that [that every police officer should strive to thread that direction]. Although they said, it’s an impossible dream, for me I realized it. I was promoted.
Sometimes nakakagulat pa rin [it is surprises me]. When I was promoted, mukhang hindi ko pa rin maramdaman (laughing), nandun na pala [the feeling has yet to dawn on me, that the promotion is already here]. And it only adds to the responsibility and protocol for a person in uniform. There’s a different protocol for star-rank official compared to other ranks in the PNP.
TL: The military establishment, including the PNP, is traditionally male-dominated. What prompted you to join a traditionally male-dominated institution?
YT: Well, I think it runs from the blood.
TL: So members of your family are either with the PNP?
YT: Yes. My grandfather was a policeman, and my mom’s brothers are also policemen. They were with the Philippine Constabulary before and now with the PNP.
TL: In your experience, what makes you different from a male general?
YT: Well I can see that the difference is just the physiological aspect. Everything else is the same. Kung ano duty nila, yun din duty ko [Their duties are also my duties]. The only additional task for a woman police officer is that I can interview a child victim and a woman victim of sexual abuse whereas the male personnel are not allowed.
TL: So you think that there are certain roles that only women can do?
YT: Yes
TL: Was there ever a time that you faced some difficulties in the course of your work that is related to your gender? Were you ever stigmatized at work because you’re a woman?
YT: No, I think we faced the same difficulties as those of men. Kasi dito sa PNP, napakahirap talaga makakuha ng position [Here at the PNP, it’s really difficult to get a position]. You really have to prove yourself, and they (the National Police Commission) don’t mind if you’re a man or a woman. The only thing that is favorable with women is that you will be assigned in an office that is managed by female officers like the Women and Children Protection Center. As you can see, there are more female officers assigned here.
TL: Don’t you think that is some form of gender stereotyping; that because you’re a woman, you are assigned the traditional female role?
YT: I agree with that. ‘Di mawawala yan [The stereotyping won’t disappear] because of our culture. I understand it because if I’m also managing the personnel, we have to look for assignments that will fit the person. When we assign people, we always consider what kind of expertise we need for this kind of job. Let’s say she is very good in investigation, why put her in operation? If he is very good in operation, why put him in investigation? So we always manage the personnel and assign them by expertise, not because the police officer is a woman or a man.
TL: Given that it’s something cultural in us, do you feel that women work doubly hard compared to men to prove themselves?
YT: Women are into multi-tasking. Although we are doing our job in man’s world, we cannot throw away our domestic jobs when we go back home. Pag-uwi sa bahay ‘di naman natin pwedeng pabayaan sa katulong lang yung pag-aasikaso sa mga bata [When we go home, we cannot just leave the rearing of our children to the help]. We have to check if the house is properly managed, if the maid cooked the right food for the children. Women are really working 24 hours, or even more.
TL: Do you think ma’am a woman general is a better strategist than a male general?
YT: Partly yes, because there are some jobs that cannot be done by men. Women in the service have different expertise na talagang pambabae [that’s really innate in women]. Unlike yung trabaho ng kalalakihan, pwede rin naming pag-aralan [We can also study a man’s work]. If you will do it to the fullest, yung talagang pagbubutihin, kaya rin namin [If we really put our focus into it, we can also do the job]. And there are really some jobs that men can do, but the effect is different. Some clients are more receptive to the way women police officers do the job compared to male police officers.
TL: So you’re saying that women….
YT: … can do it better than men, in some aspects.
TL: So you’re debunking the proposition that women often change their minds hence it is dangerous to have women lead the military or the police?
YT: Yes, because in my case, I don’t change my mind. The decision is a complete staff action. Before I decide, I have to consult all of my people. Here at the PNP, we have a support staff that will advise the commander. So I do not make a decision without the recommendation of my staff. So we cannot change this adopted procedure. There should be a complete staff action in order that when you execute a decision, it is a concerted effort of the whole staff. We have the operation; we have the intelligence; we have the investigation. So there is no problem when people say that ang decision ng isang babae ay pabago-bago [woman are fickle-minded]. There is a command decision. And there will be a careful study before we discharge such decision.
TL: Have you been assigned to lead the front of any operation?
YT: Oh yes. When I was a major, a lieutenant, a lieutenant colonel, and a colonel, I go out for operations. We do a manhunt of a person with a warrant of arrest; we do the raids and rescue operations in nightclubs. When I was a chief of police, we conducted operations against illegal logging, against illegal drugs, against prostitution, against illegal gambling. Operations are considered as ordinary jobs of any police officer.
TL: Regardless of being…
YT: … regardless if you’re a woman or a man.
TL: What do think merited your star position? Why do you think they appointed you?
YT: Sabi nga natin [As we said], service reputation is most important. So they will go back to your history because there’s always a service record for a police officer. Starting from the education, training, discipline, and of course you should balance your life. You should totally disengage your life from your family and from the office. Kung nandun ka sa pamilya mo [If you’re with your family], think of your family. But if you are in the office, think of the office. So that’s the best thing that we should do as managers in the PNP.
TL: How is your typical day as a mother and wife? Would it be the same like ordinary mothers and wives?
YT: ‘Di naman natin masabi na every weekend kasi there are some weekend na habang nagbabakasyon ang publiko we are on red alert, so nasa opisina kami [I cannot say that we’re free every weekend because there are some weekends that while the public is having a vacation, we’re on red alert so we’re in the office]. So the best thing is that anytime of the day when I have free time for my children, I go home and do something for them, so I really want to spend quality time with them anytime of the day and night.
I can say that we are doing an ordinary job in the house. But the only difference is that when I am serving my family, when I am serving my children, when I am serving my husband and my relatives, when I cook food for them, when I wash clothes for them, when I clean the toilet for them, it’s not an ordinary job because the one doing that job is a police general. (Chuckles)
TL: Would you want your daughter to follow your footsteps?
YT: Yes, of course. I’ve been encouraging them but I think no one is interested. (Laughs)
TL: What are your daughters doing at present?
YT: My eldest is a social worker; she is now working with the mental hospital. But she doesn’t want to join the PNP. My second is also a social worker and she also doesn’t want to join the PNP. She attempted to join, kaya lang nakita nya yung hirap talaga [but she saw how difficult it is to join]. There are physical exercises, then the mental and physical fatigue. I’ve been encouraging her to join. But they are telling me that they have experienced to be daughters of a police officer, and ever since they were young, nabibilang lang daw nila yung birthdays nila na I was there [they can readily count the number of birthdays I celebrated with them].
TL: Do they resent your being a police officer?
YT: Hindi naman sama ng loob [It’s not resentment] but something that should not be experienced by ordinary children. Siyempre kapag ang isang bata, nagbi-birthday siya, dapat andoon ako, andoon ang magulang [Of course, for children, when they celebrate their birthdays, I should be there. The parents should be there]. Pero ang nangyayari [But what happens is that] because I am sometimes assigned outside Manila or travels outside the Philippines, talagang ‘di ako maka-attend physically [I cannot by physically present]. But I see to it that I provide them with everything they need. Pero ‘di mo naman mapalitan. Sabi nga natin [But you cannot substitute your presence with their material wants. We have a saying], “You cannot live by bread alone.” Even if you have provided everything, your physical presence is still necessary.