Pinay is the national movement of women and women's organizations that will participate in the 1998 Elections under the Party-List system. Its goal is to advance the women's agenda in Congress through the election of three women sectoral representatives. The law limits each party to a maximum of three seats, although each party is required to submit a list of five candidates, the last two serving as alternates. Pinay must therefore secure a minimum of 1.5 million votes.
Women already play vital roles in the country's political life.
More Filipino women than men participate in electoral politics as voters, as the statistics give women voters a slight edge over men. Women form the backbone of most partisan political campaigns as staff, campaigners and supporters. The life and welfare of neighborhoods and communities is enhanced immeasurably by women volunteers, who lend their time and effort to concerns ranging from the lack of basic services to violence in the home and community. Government itself is run by women, as women predominate in the civil service. The numbers, however, have not been translated into a women's vote.