by: Gideon C. Corgue
PAGADIAN CITY, March 12 (PIA) – Close to one thousand women from 26 barangays of Siocon, Zamboanga del Norte joined the entire world on Thursday in celebrating the political, social and economic achievements of women during the International Day of Women at the municipal gym which carries the theme “ Women Weathering Climate Change: Governance and Accountability, Everyone’s Responsibility”.
Keynote speaker obstetrics/gynecologist Dr. Jojo Ycong-Tingkahan of Cebu Doctors Hospital in her message said women’s in Siocon acknowledged the celebration of the International Women’s Day but admitted that we still have a long way to go to achieve “full emancipation” of women’s hardships.
“The condition of rural women are difficult and that they still have a long way to go,” Tingkahan said. “But the municipality of Siocon under the leadership of Mayor Cesar Soriano has made significant progress along what we know would be a long and difficult road by constructing a P30-M Constantino Soriano Sr. Memorial Hospital and conducting regular free medical outreach mission and regular check up which caters mostly women,” she added.
Tingkahan said rural women had the most difficult in accessing education and health services and exposed to several challenges.
They (women), Tingkahan said, have been seen working from seeding to harvest time from the rising of the sun to sunset, but unfortunately these contributions of women have never been seen, not being valued nor appreciated by men.
She also said that migration is another factor that exposed women to dangers on health problems.
Tingkahan also believes that through liberation comes with socio-economic emancipation unless we can “push back” to the frontiers that women themselves will strive harder to liberate them from the hardships of housework, etc.
In the afternoon session, a forum on Magna Carta for women, Special Law for women, and women’s health issues were jointly conducted by the Philippine National Police, municipal social welfare and development office and rural health unit and was graced with the presence of Soriano.(JPA/GCC/PIA9-Zambosur)
