Antique gears for Women’s Month
SAN JOSE, Antique – In an effort to put forward gender advocacies in development endeavors, the Gender and Development Inter-Agency Committee (GAD-IAC) draw out plans in celebration of the Women’s Month.
R.A. 6949, "An Act Declaring March of Every Year as National Women's Day". was signed by President Aquino on April 10, 1990 and March 8 was dubbed as International Women’s Day to commemorate the struggle and heroism of women in the past who died and struggled for women liberation said Juliana O. Cepe, Provincial Planning and Development Coordinator and Vice Chairperson of GAD-IAC.
This year’s theme “Babae: Yaman ka ng Bayan” aptly describes the critical role of women in nation-building and recognizes that women are important resource who can contribute to the reduction of poverty. Considering the present global financial crisis, it is timely to tap half of the country's resource, the women, and create a gender-responsive environment to encourage and support them to venture into high-value and more meaningful economic activities and enterprise development, National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women (NCRFW) noted.
In Antique, the Provincial Government through GAD-IAC has been supporting women entrepreneurs for the past three years through the program “Pangkabuhayan Package” where small women vendors, manicurists, sari-sari-store owners, among others availed of financial assistance to help their enterprises grow and eventually help in the needs of the family especially in the education of their children.
To launch the month-long celebration, a grand opening program will be held in the Municipality of Valderrama, to be hosted by Mayor Mary Joyce Roquero, President League of Municipalities of the Philippines-Antique chapter. After the launching program, Medical and Dental Mission will follow at the town plaza intended for women in the indigenous community that lived in the far-mountain areas of the town.
Another Medical Mission is also scheduled on March 24 to cater to the health needs of women in the indigenous community of Hamtic and Tobias Fornier. The medical mission will be undertaken by the Provincial Health Office, different association of health practitioners in the province, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office and other civic organizations.
Gender Advocacy and information dissemination will also be done in various media, through community assemblies, radio program, cable TV program, photo and news releases among others to give emphasis on the theme and other advocacies that promote women empowerment.
The celebration will also serve as a venue for sharing of inspiring stories of women entrepreneurs, lessons learned and good practices in entrepreneurial activities, and a channel for the nationwide campaign to promote women's economic empowerment and rights through entrepreneurship. (PS Mabaquiao/PIA)