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Some fifty women, mostly fulltime housewives and mothers participated in the forum that tackles their basic rights and protection.
January Zanoria of the Inter-Faith Council of Leaders in Basilan, also an advocate for women’s rights expounded on this year’s Women’s Month theme “Juana, ang Tatag Mo ay Tatag Natin sa Pagbangon at Pagsulong.”
She urged the women to recognize and rediscover themselves as this will open more opportunities and improve their lives, especially for women with disabilities and those in difficult situations.
She also led the participants to understand some terms used in gender and development and other topics related to gender matters. She said that societies with greater gender equality experience faster economic growth, greater productivity and improved food security.
“When women are better educated, fertility decreases, income increases and production increases,” she pointed out.
She also disclosed that the Philippines ranks 5th worldwide (1st in Asia) in gender equality, outranking the US.
Meanwhile, Marcelina B. Arcaya of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in Isabela City discussed the Magna Carta of Women, a law that stipulates the rights and protection of women.
Moreover, Cely S. Cabang of DOLE explained the livelihood programs and opportunities offered by the office to the women. Through its Kabuhayan (livelihood) Starter Kits program, the women can venture into a particular home-based business/livelihood to help augment the family’s income.
Cabang urged the women to capacitate themselves with various skills to qualify for the program. She said that “certificates are not enough proof for their skills. DOLE has a way of validating if the applicants have indeed acquired the needed skills to qualify for the livelihood assistance.”
Barangay Captain Jessie James N. Ibañez thanked the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) in Basilan for bringing the forum on women down to the community level.
“The Barangay does not have much to cater for the needs of the organization like the women’s group in our Barangay. We are very thankful that there are government offices that extend support, especially to the women’s organization,” Ibañez said.
The gathering was also an opportunity for the women to ventilate some of their issues concerns in the Barangay like the need for livelihood training assistance that they hope the Technical Education Skills and Development Authority (TESDA) and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) can provide.
