The CJ and the trailblazer

Fifty years after the retirement from the judiciary of Natividad Almeda-Lopez, who blazed a trail in Philippine history as the first woman judge, the first woman justice of the Court of Appeals, and one of the foremost leaders of the feminist movement here, we now see her pioneering work culminating in the appointment of the first woman Chief Justice, Maria Lourdes Sereno.

Time will tell whether CJ Sereno will prove to be a true “daughter” of Judge Almeda-Lopez. This early, though, we can already see similarities in experiences between Judge Almeda-Lopez and CJ Sereno. For one, like the new Chief Justice, Judge Almeda-Lopez spent much of her career facing down male challengers who questioned not just her qualifications but even her ability to perform her basic responsibilities given her gender and the social expectations of the times.

The young Natividad “chose” law as law school was the only alternative for any bright young person seeking further studies after normal working hours. In the beginning, “she—and even her father—had to endure ridicule and open discrimination by her classmates and some teachers.” Among the questions hurled at them was: “What kind of man would allow his daughter to study in a school full of men?” And when lessons covered “sensitive” subjects such as the abuse of women, “she was always asked to step out of the classroom.”

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But Natividad persisted and soon gained the admiration of her classmates. Completing her licentiate in jurisprudence at the Escuela de Derecho de Manila in 1913, she passed the Bar in the same year but had to wait one more year (she was underage) before officially joining the Roll of Attorneys in 1914.

“She made history by being the first female attorney to publicly defend a woman in court,” it was written. Her client had been accused of harming a man “in defense of her honor,” and though she faced the “rising star” of the Bureau of Justice, prosecutor Quintin Paredes, the young female lawyer won an acquittal.

She would soon make her mark as a champion of the equality of women and men, since the suffragist movement, which sought to win for women the right to vote, was only then making its mark.

She was just 26 when she delivered a speech in Spanish before the Philippine Legislative Assembly, arguing that: “The sexual differences that distinguish and separate us from men are not enough to justify the irritating inequality of our rights. Men and women make up the totality of the human race, and our humanity is the essence of all our rights.”

She then addressed the links between human rights and gender, declaring: “Gender can influence individual preferences and emotive inclinations, but it does not change the qualities of the individual. And for this reason, neither should it change the rights of the individual. Given the fundamental laws and derivatives before the private and juridical order, both sexes should be equal.” But it wasn’t until 1937 that Filipino women would win the right to vote.

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In 1919, Natividad was hired by the Bureau of Justice and worked her way to the position of assistant attorney at the Attorney General’s Office, “despite so much opposition from colleagues, political entities and even former classmates.”

Maribel Ongpin writes in the book “Filipina Firsts: A Salute to 100 Women Pioneers” that “it was in government service that sex discrimination was most rampant. [Natividad] said of those times: ‘Recognition for work well done, and for memoranda and briefs well written, was always reluctantly given, and promotion was slow compared to the men.’ … [W]hile she spent decades in the city courts of Manila, Manuel Moran, Claro Recto and her other classmates had reached judicial posts.”

Finally, professional recognition came her way when she was designated acting city judge of the City Court of Manila, a post she held for three years until President Manuel Quezon appointed her permanently to the post in 1934. She was executive judge of the City Court of Manila for 10 years. When the Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court was created in 1956, she was appointed presiding judge, and in 1961, a year before her retirement, she was elevated to the Court of Appeals, the highest position she attained and the shortest time she served in the judiciary.

In her personal life, Natividad was a trailblazer as well. At 30, already considered an “old maid” at the time, she married Domingo Lopez, a former governor of Tayabas and Marinduque, and a widower with four children. Perhaps as part of a “prenuptial” agreement, they enjoyed what is now known as a “commuter marriage,” with her husband staying in Lucena where he was a well-known lawyer, and she staying put in Manila, pursuing her career. She also retained her surname, becoming known as Natividad Almeda-Lopez. Despite this unusual arrangement, the couple raised three children of their own.

Her proud family celebrated Natividad’s 120th birth anniversary yesterday, thankful for her legacy that persists to this day.

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Lolos and lolas get a special treat today, Grandparents’ Day, with malls, restaurants and other establishments offering discounts and hosting special activities for them.

At XO46 and its sister establishment, The Visayan Room, next door, families who visit with grandparents in tow will get a special free dessert for the oldies. The rest of the family will get a chance to relive those long, leisurely Sunday lunches in which beloved dishes made from heirloom recipes were given center stage.

Heritage food, tweaked for contemporary taste and presentation, has long been a hallmark of XO46. For reservations, call 5536632 or 5536635.