Employees, Students Join National Women’s Month Celebration
In a simple yet meaningful program, employees and students of ISU-Ilagan celebrated on Wednesday, March 3 the National Women’s Month in consonance with Republic Act 6949.
The activity which was held at the campus gym had the theme “VAWC-Free Community Starts with Me”.
Dubbed as “Women’s Empowerment thru Seminar and Skills Training” the whole day activity was spearheaded by the Gender and Development (GAD) Unit of the Research Development Extension and Training Services (RDET) Office of ISU-Ilagan.
The morning session consisted of an opening program and lectures from two invited speakers.
The first lecture entitled “Women and Children’s Protection Against Violence” was delivered by Ms. Cheenie Mabbayad of the Department of Social Welfare and Development Regional Office 02, and the second “Women’s Health Risks Awareness” was given by Grace Crisologo, Nurse II from the Isabela Provincial Health Office (IPHO).
In her speech, Ms. Mariness Zilabbo, Focal Person of GAD explained that the activity, aside from advocating women’s rights, highlights the empowerment of women as active contributors to and claimholders of development.
On the whole, “the celebration aims to inform and engage women as stakeholders of government programs and services, create and facilitate platforms to discuss good practices, challenges and commitments in pursuing gender and development, and inspire and empower women to be agents of change,” she further explained.
To underscore how women could be empowered, Zilabbo pushed for “Make Change Work or MCW which also stands for Magna Carta for Women, stressing that making change for women “necessitates strengthening the implementation of the MCW at all levels of change”. “Change could mean Compassionate and Harmonious Action and Networks for Gender and Equality”, she concluded.
Activities for Women Empowerment
Afternoon session included series of activities dedicated to women empowerment like skills training on Table Setting and Skirting, Tapang Bangus Making, and Banana Muffin Making.
The opening of Zumba and the Biggest Loser Competition where faculty, staff and students participated concluded the day’s activity.
[ By: Romel R. Costales, Ph.D. ]