GABRIELA Women’s Party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas filed a measure seeking to include the lives and heroism of Filipino comfort women in the elementary, secondary and tertiary curricula.

She said House Bill 8564 seeks to help advance human rights and is in line with the recent recommendation of the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women.

“By acknowledging the sacrifices and struggles of Filipino comfort women, we are giving voice and recognition to their courage and resilience,” the lawmaker said.

“It is crucial that we educate the younger generations about the brutalities and sexual slavery endured by these women during World War II, as their stories have been cast aside for far too long,” she added.

Gabriela Women’s Party believes that the inclusion of the experiences of Filipino comfort women in the curriculum will contribute to a more sensitive understanding of the atrocities committed during the Japanese occupation.

“It is time to give recognition to the heroic participation of Filipino comfort women in the war of resistance against the Japanese. Their stories deserve to be told and remembered, not erased from our Philippine history books,” Brosas said.

She urged lawmakers to support the measure and to fight “the resounding historical silence surrounding the experiences of Filipino comfort women.”

“It is our duty to honor their heroism and ensure that their stories are included in our educational curricula,” Brosas said.