Shamcey Supsup to run as independent in Pasig, tells women ‘your voice matters’
Shamcey Supsup-Lee. Image: Facebook/Architect Shamcey Supsup-Lee
Just hours after her decision to disengage from the “Kaya This” slate in Pasig City, beauty queen-politician Shamcey Supsup-Lee said she will continue her bid as councilor but only as an independent candidate who will carry the torch of women empowerment in the campaign.
Speaking to INQUIRER.net following her withdrawal from the party, Supsup her decision to step back was an “act of defiance” in order to stand up for other women who were “often underestimated or silenced.”
“My decision to take an independent path wasn’t easy, but it was necessary. I believe that true service transcends party lines. It’s about standing with the people, not behind politics,” she said.
“I offer transparency, compassion, and action. I may not have the weight of a party behind me now, but I carry something stronger, your trust, your stories, and our shared dreams for Pasig. Together, let’s prove that leadership is not about who you stand with, but what you stand for,” she further said.
When asked for her message to women who were facing discrimination and oppression, she said she hoped the people will take her move to resign from “Kaya This” as her vision to empower women.
“Know this, you are not alone, and your voice matters. As a woman in a space where we are often underestimated or silenced, I have learned that our strength lies not just in what we endure, but in how we rise,” she said.
The Miss Universe 2011 third runner-up and later on, former national director of the Miss Universe Philippines organization said women were already in a position of defiance in a system where men make the rules. She said her fight is not just about women representation, but to create a safe space for women.
“Your existence is already an act of defiance against a system that wasn’t built for us. And your courage to keep going, that is power. This fight isn’t just about representation, it’s about creating a society where no woman has to shrink herself to be accepted, or remain silent to be safe. Keep standing tall. I will stand with you,” she further said.
Supsup is running for councilor in the first district of Pasig City. She previously joined the team of mayoral candidate Sarah Discaya, who is running against incumbent Mayor Vico Sotto.
Her decision to withdraw from the party stemmed from supposed “differences in values” following the lewd remarks made by her former party-mate Ian Sia during their campaign kickoff last March 28, in which she said women, specially solo parents, who are still ovulating may sleep with him at least once a month
Defying her party’s line, Supsup chided Sia, who is also running for the same district as councilor, saying his remarks were off-putting and tended to disrespect women, especially single mothers, and that she does not tolerate such “crude” remarks.
Sia has since apologized for his campaign spiel, but only after receiving public backlash from individuals and organizations, including the Commission on Elections, which issued a show cause order against him. He also blamed his political rivals of making his joke a national issue.
A few days later, he again made a controversial remark, this time addressing for supposedly body-shaming his female assistant.
Supsup said she hoped the people will see “that integrity still matters, that conviction can exist without compromise” as she treads her political path away from her former party.
In her statement earlier, she said her withdrawal from “Kaya This” is not the end of a chapter, but the beginning of a movement “grounded in hope, in truth, and in the unwavering belief that every citizen deserves a seat at the table.”
