Women and men on the streets for International Women’s Rights Day

By MYRA M. TAMBOR
March 10, 2012

CATBALOGAN CITY  –  Women along with men from various organizations coming from the barangays of Catbalogan came together for a fun walk along with various government agencies.  This was the scenario of the International Women’s Rights Day in Samar’s capital, Catbalogan City.

The fun walk was organized by the Local Council of Women headed by the Chairman, Mayor Coefredo Tekwa Uy and Sangguniang Panglungsod Chairperson on Women and Family, Councilor Stephany Uy Tan.  The parade was enthusiastically joined by various government agencies of the local government unit, national government agencies, PNP and 8th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army, private sector, people’s organizations, non-government agencies such as Plan International, Family Planning Organization of the Phils. and Katungod Han Samarena Foundation, Inc. with private individuals.

Prior to the international women’s rights day, the local council of women or LCW was formally established through an Executive Order of the Mayor Uy.  As one of the women’s month activities, a strategic planning workshop for the council was held. The workshop identified action plan to be implemented within the month and a year long activity plan to ensure that women’s agenda will be incorporated in the City Development Agenda in the succeeding years.  The council is pushing for a women development agenda as well to be funded by the gender and development fund of the city.

In a short program after the parade, women powerful voice of its rights and advancement were shared by resource persons from various sectors, such are DTI Provincial Director Engr. Meilou Cinco Macabare, Deped Schools Superintendent Dr. Thelma Quitalig, Community Women and Religious Sector Love Lapura and Business Sector Marife Zosa.  The call for gender equality and continued support for women’s cause as partner for development was echoed by the message of Councilor Stephany Uy Tan.  She clearly said “genuine partnership for gender equality is the key for women’s involvement in community development, whereby women and men hand in hand work together for a common goal”.

An affirmation to the support was also signed by participants on the occasion, pledging to support the endeavors that affirms women’s worth and dignity by encouraging discourses on women and gender issues with the aim in mind of facilitating government action that will improve their social and economic situation and eliminating all avenues for oppression and prejudice against women instead open wider opportunities and access to social services.